Gainesville man injured by alligator

A Gainesville man was bitten by an alligator Monday as he was swimming.

James Albert Wimmer (DOB 05/29/61) was in a small creek off SE 16th Avenue in Gainesville at 4:30 p.m., when a 9-foot-7-inch alligator bit his right shoulder, left forearm and his back, according to Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officers.

Two men from a nearby camp, Richard Humphrey and J.C. Goodwin, heard Wimmer calling for help and went to assist.

Wimmer was able to escape from the alligator with Goodwin`s aid. Both men returned to shore. Humphrey called for emergency services. Alachua EMS transported Wimmer to Shands Hospital in Gainesville for treatment.

The State Nuisance Alligator Program (SNAP) issued a permit for a local alligator trapper to remove the animal. The trapper was able to catch and dispatch the alligator by 8 p.m. The animal was taken to the Gainesville Wildlife laboratory.

The FWC is investigating the incident.