8-foot alligator got in line at a bank’s drive-thru in NC. It didn’t end well

For the second time in days, a large alligator was found in the wrong place at the wrong time in coastal Southport, North Carolina.

The latest – and strangest – of the incidents happened Thursday, and involved an alligator seen waiting in line at a busy drive-thru, police said in an April 16 Facebook post.

“This afternoon around 4 p.m., we received a call about a large alligator, struck by a car, in the drive-thru at the Truist Bank on Howe St.,” Southport police reported.

“Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office ... and Southport (Animal Protective Services) worked to free the alligator from underneath a car in the parking lot.”

The 8-foot-long alligator suffered “minor damage to his snout and his tail, but no significant injuries,” the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission reports.

It was transported to Brunswick County’s Green Swamp and released back into the wild, state officials said.

Social media reaction to the incident has included a lot of sympathy for an alligator in rush hour traffic.

“How do you run over a gator that big? It amazes me, especially since it was in a bank’s parking lot and the vehicle was going through the drive through,” Sharon Anderson-Sykes wrote on Facebook.

“Maybe the person did not see the gator and backed up,” Gayle Garvey posted.

“A savings account withdrawal transaction on his agenda!?” Patricia Le Roy said.

On Tuesday, April 14, a large alligator was caught sitting on the front porch of a home in Southport, police noted. It was captured and released into Green Swamp, state officials said. No one was injured.

Southport is about a 160-mile drive southeast from downtown Raleigh and alligator are native to the area.

Alligator safety in NC

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission offers the following tips for alligator safety:

• Assume alligators are present. Alligators can live in any body of water within their range. Alligators are very good at hiding. They will see you before you see them.
• Never feed alligators. Feeding alligators on purpose or by accident may cause alligators to associate people with food. Intentionally feeding alligators is irresponsible, illegal in most states, and dangerous for you and others. Feeding other wildlife near water can attract alligators and cause alligators to lose their natural fear of people.
• Don’t dispose of fish or food scraps in water. Throwing fish scraps in the water is one of the most common ways that people unintentionally feed alligators.
• Never harass, capture, or handle an alligator. Attempting to approach, capture, or handle alligators increases your risk of injury or death. View and photograph alligators from a distance.
• Be responsible for people and pets in your care. Alligators do not know the difference between pets and their natural prey. Keep pets on a leash and away from the water’s edge. Supervise small children near water. Maintain awareness anytime you are in or near water.
• Stay away from the water if you see an alligator and keep your distance from alligators you see (at least 60 feet). Avoid swimming in areas with dense vegetation. Alligators hide in vegetation in and around the water. Only swim during daylight hours. Alligators are most active between dusk and dawn.
• If an alligator approaches you, immediately move a safe distance away. Report the situation to the appropriate authority.

This story was originally published April 17, 2026 at 5:35 AM with the headline "8-foot alligator got in line at a bank’s drive-thru in NC. It didn’t end well."