Photo: Volusia County Jail
The Florida man who was arrested last summer for swinging an alligator around by its tail to "teach it a lesson" has accepted a plea deal that carries no jail time.
William Hodge, 33, is accused of stealing a live alligator from a miniature golf course and swinging it around by its tail on the roof of a building.
According to police reports, officers witnessed Hodge attempt to throw the gator off the roof, but he failed and started stomping on it.
Police approached Hodge, and he said he did it to "teach it a lesson."
A Circuit Court judge agreed to keep Hodge out of jail but gave him probation and ordered him to undergo a mental health evaluation. Additionally, he is barred from ever owning an animal or going anywhere near the Congo River Golf & Exploration miniature golf course.