Couple finds 8-foot alligator in Palmetto driveway

A couple who recently moved to Palmetto from Pennsylvania found an 8-foot alligator in their driveway last week, marking their first encounter with the reptile since relocating to Florida. The Hofmanns had moved into their Manatee County home in March and were still adjusting to life in the state when the gator appeared one morning.

“I don’t think we’ve ever thought we’d really see one,” said Sandy Hofmann. “But when it was here, I was kind of mesmerized a little bit. I mean I was amazed, like, oh my gosh, we have an alligator.”

Sandy described the animal as “big, very big, very large.”

“They measured it at eight foot, three inches,” Allan Hofmann said. “And it weighed between 300 and 350 lbs.”

Sandy said the gator settled in next to the couple’s golf cart and truck and refused to leave on its own.

Allan called police, who sent Florida Fish and Wildlife alligator trappers to the home.

“I’ve never seen gator trappers in my life,” Allan said.

“They came in and dragged it off the carport over into the neighbor’s grass,” Allan said. “Then, they took cold water, washed it down, I think it kind of slowed the alligator down a little bit. It cleaned it up a lot and then they put it in the back of the truck and took it to an alligator club med.”

Sandy said she hoped the encounter would be their last, though she added she could handle seeing alligators in the nearby pond.

“It was our first one we’ve ever seen, and I’d like it to be our last,” Sandy said. “We can see them in the pond from a distance, that’s kind of nice, but not in our driveway.”

The Hofmanns took the experience in stride.

“Welcome to Florida!” the Hofmanns said. “You know, because now we’ve had an alligator experience. We can have other kind of experiences now that we’re here in Florida.”