VIERA, Fla. – A wandering 5-foot alligator snarled Wickham Road traffic Sunday afternoon near the entrances to Viera SuperTarget and Walmart Supercenter.
Someone called 911 and reported the roving reptile just before 5:15 p.m., Brevard County sheriff's Deputy Maria Fernez said.
Two deputies tried to corral the gator using a ladder, but the animal aggressively thwarted their efforts, Fernez said.
The predator triggered periodic lane closures on eastbound and westbound Wickham Road.
A licensed wildlife trapper lassoed and tied up the gator around 6:30 p.m. near the Murphy USA gas station.