California Man Arrested While Driving Around With Alligator, Says He Was Babysitting it for Friend who was in Jail

A Northern California man was arrested this week on a warrant, but what would have been a standard arrest took a bizarre turn when police found an alligator in his car.

KOVR reported that Tyler Watson of Redding was pulled over by police in the city of Anderson on Tuesday morning.

After it was discovered that Watson had an outstanding warrant for a probation violation, he was handcuffed.

The station’s John Dabkovich reported:

Once cops cuffed him, he told them he had a live alligator in the passenger’s seat. Watson claims he was just watching it for a friend who had been recently arrested. Watson is now charged with illegal possession of an alligator.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is now in possession of the alligator, according to KOVR.

Not only are its two previous guardians both behind bars, but the animals are banned as pets in the state.

The Anderson Police Department shared photos from the scene and some additional details about the bizarre arrest on its Facebook page:

On Tuesday, February 8, 2022, APD officers were dispatched to a report of a possible DUI driver traveling southbound on Highway 273 from Ox Yoke Road.

…

Officers contacted the driver of the vehicle and identified him as Tyler Watson, age 29, of Redding. Watson was found to have an active felony warrant for his arrest out of Lassen County for a probation violation. A DUI evaluation was conducted and Watson was found to not be impaired. Watson was arrested on his warrant. Once he was under arrest he advised officers that he had a live alligator on the floorboard of his vehicle.

Watch above, via KOVR.