Alligators hamper teenager's rescue in fatal Florida crash
Efforts to rescue a teenager who drove off a bridge and plunged into a murky canal in southwest Florida were hampered by two dangerous obstacles: a pair of large alligators.
Police and fire rescue workers responded to the crash in Venice, Florida, June 22 and found a red Ford Ranger submerged with one person trapped inside.
Rescue swimmers entered the water and found the person, but because the alligators were seen lurking in the water near the car, the swimmers were recalled and a dive team brought in.
After Florida Fish and Wildlife officials removed the predators, the man, identified as 19-year-old Fredy Chavez Sanchez, was pronounced dead. Officials have not yet released the cause of death.
The alligators measured 7 feet, 9 inches and 7 feet, 7 inches, respectively, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife.
Police say the car was speeding when it swerved off the road, struck a pole and dove into the canal. The investigation is still ongoing.
A GoFundMe campaign for Chavez's family said he died instantly. Chavez, who recently graduated from high school, was originally from Guatemala, according to the fundraiser.
An estimated 1.3 million alligators ranging in size from roughly three to 13 feet live in Florida, but they rarely attack people for reasons other than food, according to the FWC.
Two people so far in 2025 have been bitten by alligators in Florida, including one person who died, according to FWC data through May.
In 2024, 11 people in Florida were bitten by alligators, but the state did not record any deaths. Since 1948, the agency says 453 alligator "bite incidents" have occurred, with 26 resulting in death.
Alligator bites are mostly likely to happen near water, the agency says.
This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Alligators delay rescue of Florida teen after fatal crash
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