An alligator doesn’t seem like the best option for a drinking buddy.
But a Florida man apparently disagreed as he allegedly attempted to get one drunk after catching it, TC Palm reports.
Timothy Kepke, 27, and his friend, Noah Osbourne, 22, were both arrested on Oct. 3.
A complaint filed in August with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission stated Kepke was tempting the alligator to take a bite out of his right forearm, while simultaneously pouring beer down the reptile’s throat.
And the alligator didn’t appear to like the beer. There is reportedly an unreleased video recording of the incident showing the alligator react violently — thrashing as it swallows the alcohol.
Kepke reportedly told officials his pal Osbourne caught the reptile with his bare hands on the night of Aug. 26 and then tried to get it to bite him so he could make the pour.
Cops said Kepke told them at his home on Sept. 17 he was the individual in the video.
After the daring deed was done, the pair allegedly released the alligator.
According to TC Palm , the 27-year-old Kepke told police he had drank a couple of beers but he wasn’t drunk at the time.
He did, however, confirm the presence of a female at the time of the incident, who police interviewed. The unnamed female corroborated Kepke’s and Osbourne’s story.
Kepke and Osbourne were both charged with unlawfully taking an alligator and their bonds were set at US$5,000 and $2,500 respectively.
The two men were released later in the day on Oct. 3.
Copyright Postmedia Network Inc., 2019
