Two Vero Beach residents arrested in illegal alligator death
October 2nd, 2009 by TCPalm.comST. LUCIE COUNTY — Two Vero Beach residents were arrested early Wednesday after one admitted shooting an alligator and another was spotted putting pink-colored meat in a cabinet, according to recently released arrest affidavits.
Ernest Ray Hublur, 18, reportedly was shining a light on Alderman ranch off Shinn Road about 12:15 a.m. Wednesday.
State Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and county sheriff’s officials made contact with Hublur, and as the FWC official approached Hublur’s vehicle, he said he found an American alligator on the tailgate. A .22 caliber rifle and a spotlight occupied the passenger seat, officials said.
The affidavits gave this account:
Hublur reportedly admitted shining the light into ditches. He said he saw the alligator and shot it.
Hublur, of the 7300 block of 4th Street in Vero Beach, was arrested on a felony charge of taking an alligator and a misdemeanor charge of possession of gun and light at night.
Meanwhile, an FWC official spied a woman at a home in the area pulling pink meat in a clear plastic bag out of a refrigerator. She then put the bag in a cabinet in the kitchen.
The 62-year-old woman, identified as Archie Dean Driggers, escorted the FWC official in. Driggers pulled out the bag of meat, and the FWC official noted it “appeared to be fresh alligator meat.”
Driggers reportedly said that “we had a gator what else do you want to know.”
Driggers faces a felony charge of tampering with evidence.
What, if any, relationship existed between Driggers, of the 1400 block of 90th Avenue in Vero Beach, and Hublur wasn’t specified in the affidavits.
A St. Lucie County Sheriff’s deputy was at the scene, but his agency referred questions to the FWC. Clarification from that agency wasn’t immediately available.
Will Greenlee, TCPalm.com
Tags: alligator, alligator meat, arrests, rifle, shooting
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October 2nd, 2009 at 10:53 am
B. F@@ing D.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:08 pm
SPYING? YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME. WHAT RIGHT DOES FWC HAVE TO REGULATE WHAT THE %)(*)(* I HAVE IN MY FREEZER?
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Why is it legal to slaughter cows, chickens, pigs, etc. but alligators are generally protected? I suppose if the big slaughterhouses and supermarkets don’t profit from free wild food then it has to be illegal to eat it.
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:32 pm
Ben
Obviously you are not aware that FWC has the same powers if not more than local law enforcement officers because they are STATE LAW ENFORCEMENT …. FWC can search your freezer at anytime if they feel you have been poaching or illegally hunting game in the state of FL …. Check the laws ….
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:34 pm
in this post 9-11/bush world you have no rights. well unless your rich/wealthy(palm beacers note:),then of course you have the right to buy therefore do whatever you like-savy?
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:34 pm
they aren’t saying that it’s illegal to consume wild animals . what is illegal is to harvest animals out of their designated season. If you want to hunt gator - GET A PERMIT TO DO SO. If you want to hunt hog or deer you have to have a permit . What is so hard for people to understand? Look into ANY conservation in South Florida - THEY ALL SUPPORT LEGAL HUNTING ! ! ! What this man was doing was poaching ! Bottom Line he should be charged. If I have to get permits to hunt gator, deer, & hog then so should everyone else !
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:38 pm
It sounds to me like this guy has been poaching alligators for a while and somebody snitched on him.
It would seem an unlikely coincidence that the FWC would surprise this guy just after he poached a gator and simultaneously look in some lady’s kitchen and find alligator meat.
Geat job FWC!
October 2nd, 2009 at 12:42 pm
It is a shame that with so many gators in this state that it is a felony to harvest one.The state only gives out 4500 permits a year with each permit being for two gators. Thats 9000 gators a year out of 2 million. Thats becomes just silly. If we were to allow 50,000 gators to be taken a year the dent in population would never be noticed but perhaps the gators would once again become scared of people.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:20 pm
Gators are an endangered species. If everybody that wanted to kill gators did, there would be none left. Would you say it would be ok to kill a polar bear or panda? Oh and James cows, pigs, and chickens are bread to be slaughtered. There is no way these animals are or could be endangered. Gators however are. Would any of you want your children to grow up and there be no gators left? I surley woulden’t.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:29 pm
Ben…Ben…Ben…
It’s one thing if nothing turned up, it’s a whole other when the crazy lady has illegal goods.
I have no idea why america today thinks hiding criminals is what freedom is about.
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:38 pm
“Hublur, of the 7300 block of 4th Street in Vero Beach, was arrested on a felony charge of taking an alligator and a misdemeanor charge of possession of gun and light at night.”
Now I could understand him being charged for possesion of a gun, but why is he being charged for having a light?
October 2nd, 2009 at 1:42 pm
Must be “Nole fans