11-foot Georgia alligator dies after getting stuck in tire

HANCOCK COUNTY, Ga. — Georgia wildlife officials say dumped trash led to the death of an alligator at a state park.

The picture of the gator was posted on the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Facebook page Thursday was to warn about the effects of illegal dumping.

The 11-foot gator somehow got its head and part of its body through the tire and state officials said that led to the reptile’s demise.

The incident happened at Hamburg State Park in the city of Mitchell in east Georgia.

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“This is a prime example why our Game Wardens take litter and dumping so seriously,” the post read.

Anyone caught littering in Georgia can be charged with a misdemeanor and, if found guilty, can be punished by a fine of not less than $100 and not more than $1,000. The law also allows the court to direct the violator to clean up the littered area and to publish the violator's name in the newspaper.

Anyone caught illegally dumping less than 500 pounds of waste can be charged with a misdemeanor and can be fined accordingly. Each day a continuing violation occurs is considered a separate violation. Dumping more than 500 pounds is considered a misdemeanor on the first offense. A second conviction is a felony. The penalty for a second conviction is a fine of up to $25,000 or a prison sentence of up to two years (or both).

Anyone caught illegally dumping biomedical or hazardous waste, or dumping for commercial purposes, can be found guilty of a felony. If convicted, the violator can be fined up to $25,000 and sentenced to two years in prison.

Cox Media Group