Homeowner: 11-foot gator found in pool busted through screen ‘like the Kool-Aid Man’

Wildlife officers have responded to a string of gator encounters in Volusia County.

Officials say this is the time of year when these discoveries are not uncommon.

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In one case, an 11-foot gator was found swimming in a family’s backyard pool after it busted through the screen.

“He busted right through there … kinda like the Kool-Aid Man, you know,” homeowner Lynn Tosi said.

Read: It’s alligator mating season, here are tips to keep you and your pets safe

Her encounter is one of three reported in Volusia County over the past five days.

Scott Hollingsworth from Daytona Beach was bitten by an alligator when he opened his front door.

“I barely got a foot out the door when it latched on and shook real hard,” he said.

Read: Daytona Beach man details gator attack while stepping outside of home

Then on Sunday, Florida Fish and Wildlife officials said they got a call from a man in Deltona after a gator grabbed his dog. That man shot and killed the alligator. FWC said he isn’t facing any charges.

Tosi said most people in Florida always play it safe around lakes and ponds, but she said after what happened, she thinks all homeowners should also double-check their pools before diving in.

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