He’s back! The Florida gator man who, according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission incident report, tossed a 3-and-a-half-foot live alligator through a Wendy’s drive-thru window in Royal Palm Beach in October of last year.
The Palm Beach County State Attorney's Office has released footage of 23-year-old Joshua James being bitten by a small alligator, and not by accident. In the video, you can see someone tapping the gator repeatedly, getting it to open its mouth. James then puts out his arm as the gator chomps down. After multiple screams, you hear James say that the gator's teeth are tearing his skin.
What is unclear is if the newly-released video is part of the initial Wendy's gator toss investigation or a different one.
RELATED: Florida man accused of tossing gator into Wendy's drive-thru window
FWC officials say that back in October, James pulled into the drive-thru to place his order and after a server handed over a drink, he turned around, reached into the back of his truck, and tossed the gator through the drive-thru window.
Tory Dunnan WPTV here at the Wendy’s in Royal Palm. A man was arrested today after throwing a live alligator through the drive-up window! This is not a joke!
Posted by WPTV on Monday, February 8, 2016
He was taken into custody by U.S. Marshals in early February and later was released on $6,000 bond. He is facing a felony aggravated assault charge for the incident.
At that time, James’ parents told WPTV their son idolized Steve Irwin The Crocodile Hunter, that he loved wildlife, and was simply a prankster.
RELATED: Jupiter man's parents say gator tossed into Wendy's was 'stupid prank'
James spoke to WPTV live on Facebook as he was leaving jail and vowed he would never do it again, that his pranking days were over.
GATOR HURLED THROUGH WENDY'S DRIVE-THRU WINDOW:LIVE NOW with Florida man who hurled a live alligator through a Wendy's drive-thru window. - Tory Dunnan WPTV, Jared Werksma
Posted by WPTV on Tuesday, February 9, 2016
"All the stupid stuff I think about doing, it's over with," James insisted at the time. "It's definitely gonna be the last that I do. I think my prankin' days are over after today," James said. “It was just pure prankster stupidity… a good laugh kind of thing.”
However, at that time, James did admit that he once before “pulled a prank on a buddy of mine” involving an alligator.
WPTV requested surveillance video of the October gator toss into the Wendy’s, but what the State Attorney’s office released was a much different video of what appears to be James in a room allowing a smaller alligator to bite him in the arm.
It is unclear if the new video was shot before or after the gator-chucking incident in October. It is also unclear whether the gator seen in the new footage is the same gator involved in the Wendy’s incident. You can see in the footage that alcohol may have been involved.
