In a scene observers described as “straight out of an action movie,” a barefoot Florida man was captured on video wrestling a massive alligator from the median of Interstate 95 near Jacksonville on Monday. The daring rescue operation involved multiple law enforcement agencies and a local alligator wrangler known as the “Blue Collar Brawler.”
The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office confirmed the incident in a social media post, writing: “If you were cruising down I-95/I-295 on the Southside yesterday and thought you saw a barefoot man wrestling a giant alligator in the median—nope, your eyes weren’t playing tricks on you. That really happened,” according to Action News Jax.
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Professional Wrangler Springs Into Action
The man at the center of the viral video is Mike Dragich, a licensed alligator trapper who operates under the name “Blue Collar Brawler” on social media. Dragich was enlisted by authorities to safely remove the large reptile that had wandered onto the busy highway, presenting a significant safety hazard to motorists.
Video footage shows Dragich, notably barefoot, using a snare pole to capture the alligator while traffic continued to flow by on the interstate. After several attempts and despite the animal’s aggressive resistance, Dragich successfully secured the reptile as reported by Fox Weather.
Multi-Agency Response to Unusual Highway Hazard
The operation involved coordination between the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, and the Florida Highway Patrol. Authorities praised the collaborative effort that successfully removed the dangerous animal without injuries to the public or the alligator…