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Man injured when motorcycle hits 10-foot gator in Florida

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WIMAUMA, FL (AP) - A man riding a motorcycle hit an alligator that was crossing a rural Florida road, throwing him from his bike.

The Florida Highway Patrol said in a news release that 27-year-old Calun Nelson was riding his motorcycle south of Tampa early Friday when he saw the more than 10-foot alligator crossing the road in front of him. He tried to avoid the gator, but couldn't.

Troopers say Nelson was taken to a Tampa hospital with serious injuries.

An alligator trapper was called to retrieve the gator's body.

It's the second accident this week in Florida involving an alligator. On Tuesday a driver on Interstate 75 escaped serious injury when she hit an alligator near Sarasota.