In the early hours of July 16, a fatal encounter with a 12-foot alligator took place.
A tragic collision involving a truck and an alligator took place on State Highway 35 in Texas. The truck, carrying two adults and three children, flipped over after hitting the alligator and ended up in a nearby field following the collision. Authorities confirmed one fatality and four injuries as a result of this accident.
Emergency services were dispatched to the scene as soon as the news of the crash reached them. Refugio County deputies, along with fire and medical personnel, arrived at the scene, and all five passengers were rushed to local hospitals.
Unfortunately, the driver, 33-year old Gabrielle Breaux, seven-months pregnant and from New Iberia, Louisiana, lost her life and that of her unborn child while receiving medical treatment. The remaining individuals, her father Gregory Gerard, 58, and three children ages 13, 11 and six are expected to recover from their injuries. Photographs released by the local police provide a grim snapshot of the accident’s aftermath.
The alligator, another victim of the incident, also didn’t survive. Alligator encounters have been on the rise in Refugio County, roughly 60 miles north of Corpus Christi. According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, this increase can be attributed to an expanding alligator population and increased human intrusion into their natural habitats.
