Overview
- The encounter began after reports of reckless driving on Interstate 10 that led to a crash and a traffic stop on Interstate 310 during a DWI investigation on Sunday, police said.
- While troopers questioned 40‑year‑old Victor M. Rivas of Montz, he fled on foot, jumped from an elevated stretch of I‑310 into swampy terrain, and later reentered the marsh where an alligator attacked him and injured both arms.
- Body‑worn camera footage released by the St. Charles Parish Sheriff’s Office shows roughly a 30‑second struggle between Rivas and the alligator, and officials say his injuries were treated at a hospital and were not life‑threatening.
- Despite his injuries, Rivas continued to evade officers until drone operators located him; he was taken into custody, booked on second‑offense DWI and resisting arrest, and faces additional warrants for hit‑and‑run and careless operation with bond set at $17,500.
- The agencies involved released video and used social media to warn the public, and the episode highlights the clash of modern policing tools, public‑safety messaging and the real wildlife risks present in Louisiana’s swamps.