Florida Man Arrested After Cops Find Alligator Hidden In Truck

Florida cops made a surprising discovery after they conducted a traffic stop on Friday (April 8), according to a Facebook post.

Collier County Sheriff's deputies pulled over a driver of a black GMC Sierra pickup near 12th Street Southeast and Golden Gate Boulevard. While searching the pickup, authorities say they found a baby alligator sitting in a plastic tub in the bed of the vehicle.

Two firearms were also discovered in the bed alongside the reptile, according to the sheriff's office. Deputies say one was tucked under the front passenger seat while another was hidden in the glove box.

The front-seat passenger, 31-year-old Michael Marolla, of Rural Estates, was arrested after cops allegedly found several loaded syringes in his jacket. They later tested positive for methamphetamine.

He faces felony charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of narcotic equipment, and two counts of carrying a concealed firearm.

"Deputies notified the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission about the alligator," the sheriff's office added. "Wildlife officers responded to investigate."

There have been other strange and shocking gator encounters in Florida recently. A window blind installer discovered a 12-foot-long alligator in the home he was working on. The stubborn reptile's "eviction" was caught on camera, as well. Then, there was a woman who came across a gator with a football in its mouth at a nature preserve.