Fatal alligator attack in Orange is first in two centuries for Texas

Tommie Woodward was known to jump off the marina near his house every now and again to dip in the bayou flowing through Orange, a small town on the outskirts of Beaumont. But recently the marina's owner spotted an alligator he estimated to be about 12 feet long.

This is gator country, after all, home to about half a million alligators in the tri-county area of Orange, Jefferson and Chambers alone. Allen Burkart, the 82-year-old marina owner, put up a large sign: "No Swimming: Alligator."

But that didn't deter Woodward, who showed up early Friday with a young woman, telling the staff closing the marina's burger joint that he was jumping in. They begged him not to, but the 28-year-old did anyway and his friend followed. Suddenly, witnesses told police, a large alligator emerged from under the dock.

"He went under one time, then he hollered at her to get out of the water," Burkart said. "Then he pulled him down the second time and that was it."

Sheriff's deputies and park rangers found Woodward dead in the water more than two hours later at about 4:30 a.m. near the marina in the 1800 block of Mississippi Street. Orange Police Capt. Robert Enmon said he suffered major trauma to his left arm and puncture wounds to his upper left chest. The alligator attack, the second one in the region this week, is believed to be the first fatal encounter in Texas in at least two centuries. Nationwide, the last time anyone was killed by an alligator was when a suspected car burglar jumped into a pond in western Miami-Dade County in 2007 as he was running from police.

Feeding alligators

In all, there have been 22 fatal alligator attacks in Florida since 1948. With 1.3 million alligators, it has the largest population in the nation. In Texas, the last fatal attack that went documented occurred in 1836 when an alligator killed a man swimming across the mouth of the Trinity.

"It's extremely rare," said Gary Saurage, a prominent alligator hunter and co-owner of Gator Country Adventure Park in Beaumont. There are about 8 million alligators nationwide, he said, and in southeast Texas, "anytime you're swimming in a public waterway you can bet you're swimming alongside alligators."

To him, the fatal incident seems suspicious. He wonders if the alligator was being fed from the marina, noting how it appeared from the dock and instantly attacked, as if expecting food. Texas Parks and Wildlife officials caution that feeding alligators, a Class C misdemeanor punishable by up to a $500 fine, makes them lose their natural fear of humans, and they become not only accustomed to the act but more aggressive. Comments on social media suggest at least some alligators were possibly fed there, with Lori Tatom, for instance, noting on a KFDM news story of the attack on Facebook: "We go here alot and people are always feeding the gator. His nickname is marshmallow and he's ALWAYS there."

Because it's so rare, Saurage said the incident should be investigated.

"We only had one fatal attack (nationally) in the last eight years," he said. "If (the alligator) has been hand-fed and you throw something next to him, he's going to grab it. I will bet you my reputation that's what happened here."

Burkart, the marina's owner, said the large alligator arrived only recently, though two smaller ones have called this corner of the bayou home for much longer.

"I'm sure people threw them a marshmallow or a Cheeto," he said. "The little ones they were feeding. But the big one wasn't coming in close."

The two recent attacks come after a spike of reported reptile sightings following the area's historic rainfall in May. On Sunday authorities said an alligator bit 13-year-old Kaleb Hurley on the arm and dragged him underwater near the bank of Mac Pond, just off Lake Charlotte Road in Chambers County. Kaleb's father, 42-year-old James Hurley, ran into the water to help his son, but though the alligator bit him on the leg, he kicked it until it let him go. The two were flown by Life Flight helicopter ambulance to Memorial Hermann Hospital, where Kaleb remains, though his family expects him to be released next week.

"This has been such a traumatic experience, to say the least, and we hope no one else out there ever has to go through what we have been through these past several days," the family said in a statement. "Please be sure to research the areas you are visiting thoroughly, especially if they have alligators or other wildlife."

Experts say the recent rainfall filled the estuaries, displacing many alligators into places where they're more likely to encounter humans.

"Alligators aren't long-distance athletes. They can't stay in fast-moving water long," said Chris Stephens, a nuisance alligator control hunter in the Harris County region who goes by "Gator Chris." "When the rivers are swollen they move to still water."

An aggressive season

The reptiles are also especially vigilant right now in protecting their territory because their mating, breeding and nesting season runs from May through September. Male alligators are more likely to be aggressive to attract females, whereas the fairer sex is protecting their nesting sites, Stephens said. The state's unusually mild winters over the past five years has also meant more alligators survived the cold season, swelling their ranks.

"Alligators like to hunt in the dark, and they respond to splashing in the water," Stephens said. "That's usually a dinner bell to them, so they go investigate."

A memorial page for Woodward on Facebook quickly drew posts from friends of the slender, bearded redhead. One said he tried to project a tough guy exterior, but was kind and gentle and years ago had enjoyed singing in their high school choir.

Meanwhile Burkart, who was born and raised in Orange, said he's still reeling from the tragedy at his marina, which he has owned for more than half his life. Destroyed by Hurricane Ike in 2008, he refashioned it into a family-friendly place, complete with a shuffle board table and games.

"I've been here all my life and this is the first time something like this has happened," he said. "I'm still in shock."