That Time A Customer Tossed An Alligator Through A Wendy's Drive-Thru Window

Yes, you read that headline correctly. According to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, in 2015, 23-year-old Joshua James pulled up to a Wendy's drive-thru window in a white pickup truck, ordered a large beverage, and, when the cashier turned toward the register, threw a 3.5-foot long alligator through the window and drove away (via WPTV). The Wendy's employee climbed out the drive-thru window for safety, and the alligator was contained and had its jaws taped shut until authorities were able to release it into a canal, reportsĀ The Washington Post.

James was identified, arrested, and honest with police, telling them he had found the alligator on the side of the road and had indeed thrown it through the Wendy's drive-thru window. He was eventually handed over to the U.S. Marshals and was charged with "aggravated assault and unlawful possession and transportation of an alligator." The Washington Post reported that assault with a deadly weapon was also added to the list of charges.

See ya later, alligator

Now, you might be thinking, what would possess a man to throw an alligator through a Wendy's drive-thru window? James' parents, Ed and Linda James, told reporters that their son enjoys being outdoors and was a big fan of famous crocodile hunter Steve Irwin, perĀ The Washington Post. "It was just a stupid prank that he did that's now turning into this. He's a prankster. He does stuff like this because he thinks it's funny," Linda told WPTV. A judge didn't find the incident so funny, however, and initially set James' bond at $6,000 and required him to stay away from Wendy's and have his mental health evaluated (via WPTV).

So, the alligator may be free again, but what happened to James? As it turns out, he's free, too, as WPTV later reported that he was released with a year's probation and ordered to do 75 hours of community service, despite pleading and being deemed guilty on charges of misdemeanor assault and unlawful possession of an alligator. James apologized, and the judge said, "Good people do bad things or stupid things." Maybe bad, perhaps stupid, but most certainly shocking.