MICCOSUKEE INDIAN RESERVATION, Fla. -- A man who jumped into an alligator-infested lake as he fled police died from a gator attack, authorities said Wednesday. Justo Padron, 36, of West Miami-Dade, was burglarizing a vehicle near the Miccosukee Resort and Convention Center last Thursday when police arrived, according to the tribe. Padron fled and jumped into a nearby lake where a sign warns people: "Danger Live Alligators." His body was recovered a day later with what appeared to be alligator teeth marks on his upper torso.
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Wednesday that Padron died of an alligator attack. His death has been classified an
accident. An accomplice, Heriberto Rubio, surrendered and was arrested, said Dexter Lehtinen, a tribe attorney. Lehtinen said the two men were not members of the Miccosukee Tribe. Padron was wanted by authorities since September for violating his probation after pleading guilty in June to cocaine possession, according to The Miami Herald. He was arrested more than a dozen times since 1989 for various charges including burglary, robbery and drug possession, the newspaper reported. Padron was released from prison in 2002 after a six-year sentence for burglary. Padron died last Thursday, after he and another man, Heriberto Rubio, were spotted by a police officer while trying to steal a car in the casino parking lot, according to a tribe spokesman and court records. Rubio was captured after a short chase; he now faces charges of grand theft, resisting arrest and battery on a police officer. Police divers found Padron's body in the lake on Friday afternoon, but the tribe -- which is not bound by public-records law, did not disclose his death until Tuesday. The medical examiner has classified Padron's death as an accident. The office would not release any other details about the case.
Padron, 36, was classified as a ''habitual felony offender'' after more than a dozen arrests since 1989 for burglary, robbery, drug possession and other charges, Miami-Dade court records show. He was released from prison in 2002 following a six-year sentence for burglary. His most recent arrest came in April for drug possession. He was accused of selling cocaine to an undercover police officer. He was sentenced to 18 months probation after pleading guilty in June. In September, Padron violated probation by moving without notifying his probation officer and failing to pay court costs. A judge issued an arrest warrant on Sept. 24. Padron grew up around Sweetwater, one of six brothers and sisters who moved to the area from Cuba more than 20 years ago, said his sister, Maria. ''Regardless of the crime he was committing, he was a good person,'' she said. "He just had his ways.''
The Miami-Dade Medical Examiner's Office confirmed Wednesday that Padron died of an alligator attack. His death has been classified an
accident. An accomplice, Heriberto Rubio, surrendered and was arrested, said Dexter Lehtinen, a tribe attorney. Lehtinen said the two men were not members of the Miccosukee Tribe. Padron was wanted by authorities since September for violating his probation after pleading guilty in June to cocaine possession, according to The Miami Herald. He was arrested more than a dozen times since 1989 for various charges including burglary, robbery and drug possession, the newspaper reported. Padron was released from prison in 2002 after a six-year sentence for burglary. Padron died last Thursday, after he and another man, Heriberto Rubio, were spotted by a police officer while trying to steal a car in the casino parking lot, according to a tribe spokesman and court records. Rubio was captured after a short chase; he now faces charges of grand theft, resisting arrest and battery on a police officer. Police divers found Padron's body in the lake on Friday afternoon, but the tribe -- which is not bound by public-records law, did not disclose his death until Tuesday. The medical examiner has classified Padron's death as an accident. The office would not release any other details about the case.Padron, 36, was classified as a ''habitual felony offender'' after more than a dozen arrests since 1989 for burglary, robbery, drug possession and other charges, Miami-Dade court records show. He was released from prison in 2002 following a six-year sentence for burglary. His most recent arrest came in April for drug possession. He was accused of selling cocaine to an undercover police officer. He was sentenced to 18 months probation after pleading guilty in June. In September, Padron violated probation by moving without notifying his probation officer and failing to pay court costs. A judge issued an arrest warrant on Sept. 24. Padron grew up around Sweetwater, one of six brothers and sisters who moved to the area from Cuba more than 20 years ago, said his sister, Maria. ''Regardless of the crime he was committing, he was a good person,'' she said. "He just had his ways.''
Rubio also has a half-dozen arrests for assault, robbery, cocaine possession and other charges. Last month he pleaded guilty to a felony charge of trespassing on a construction site, records show. A trapper later captured and killed two alligators found in the lake. One was about 7 ½ feet, the other 9 feet 3 inches, according to the trapper.
5 comments:
Why kill the gators? Padron was trespassing on their turf.
On another note, I've been thinking of getting a German Shepard at some point for protection. Maybe I'll get a gator instead.
reminds of when they used gators (or dragons- we need to get some dragons) in the moats to guard the castles.... The alligators are just doing what they were made to do. We are 'intelligent life form' (well, some of us are) and should use our brain cells to learn to not swim with gators or reach our hands down their throats for fun
That guy looks like a real dumb-ass and he is probably burning in hell now after the gator crunched on his big fat egg-head!
Rollo
I "HATE" FREAKING ALLIGATORS!!!I wish they would kill them all,and make boots n purses of them!!I think some of u are some real Dumb Asses,to make stupid comments like u do.Regardless of what U Idiots think,n regardless of what crimes this guy committed,he didnt deserve to be killed like that.I witness an Alligator snatch a 6 year old child,in a pond he was playing near.Did that child deserve,to be eatin just bcos he chose,to play near the pond?"NOPE"!!!Alot of u make silly comments,like u do bcos it hasnt happen to u,a friend or family member..I hope one of u get bit in the ass by an alligator one day!! PEACE!(p.s)Feel free,to message me back,Haterz!!!!
To the April 27th guy...no the child didn't deserve to die. That's why he had parents, to protect him from natural dangers...and swimming with carnivores....in the wild these animals have to survive, to them a child is just food.. Like humans eat Veal..you know that's a baby too...there's no difference....
That guy ran pass a damn warning sign. If i jump into a warned lake with live gators...I expect to die that day it would be a miracle if I lived...I don't plan to jump in gator lakes but if I did...I seriously don't expect the animals to spare me..your comment is just plain ignorant...humans hurt others, children, and earth way way more than gators...if anything should die it would be humans.
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