Alligator stops traffic with morning stroll in Wilmington

WILMINGTON, N.C. (WTVD) -- A large alligator forced the closure of a road in Wilmington on Tuesday morning.

Around 10 a.m., Wilmington Police Department first posted pictures of the gator, warning drivers to stay away from McRae and Cornelius Harnett Drive until NC Wildlife agents could arrive and move the gator to a safe location.

By 10:30, NC Wildlife agents had arrived and were getting ready to begin the process of getting the gator off the roadway.

The police department went live on Facebook to show what was happening.

About eight minutes into the video, the gator starts walking toward the NC Wildlife pickup truck. Before the gator can get to the truck the agent jumped out of the truck bed and into the driver's seat.

The gator eventually changed directions and walked off the road into the grass. It continued down an embankment and into some water below.