DOCUMENT: Animals, Bizarre, Florida

See Ya Later...

Florida man attempting to flee cops killed by alligator

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See Ya Later...

NOVEMBER 14--Meet Justo Padron.

The Florida man, 36, was killed last week by an alligator when he jumped into a lake in an apparent effort to evade police who were looking for him in connection with an attempted auto theft. Padron's body--with teeth marks on its torso--was recovered last Friday from a small lake next to the Miccosukee Resort and Convention Center, where he was reportedly spotted trying to break into a car in a parking lot.

He was killed by an alligator nicknamed Poncho, who is seen at left. The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Office has classified Padron's November 9 death as an accident.

Padron, pictured in a mug shot from an earlier arrest, is an ex-convict with grand theft, burglary, cocaine possession, assault, and robbery convictions on his rap sheet. Padron's identification was likely aided by the array of tattoos on his body, including ones depicting a panther, dragon, wizard, clown, and a heart with the name Martha in it. (1 page)