Alligator named Karen avoids charges after being involved in car chase

A man in Michigan was arrested after allegedly fleeing from a traffic stop, but the sheriff's department says his passenger, "Karen," is not facing any charges after trying to leave the scene. That's because Karen is an alligator who was sitting inside the car during the chase.

It happened on Saturday, when the Lake County Sheriff's Office says a patrol sergeant saw a vehicle traveling at a high speed and tried to pull the driver over. The driver fled in his car, officials said, and sheriff's deputies as well as Michigan Department of Natural Resources (DNR) law enforcement were led on a brief car chase.

The 40-year-old driver's car ended up stuck between two trees and he was arrested. He has several warrants from another jurisdiction and he now faces additional charges, the sheriff's office said in a Facebook post.

While the driver was taken into custody, the alligator named Karen "attempted to flee the scene," the department said. However, "after a short scuffle," deputies apprehended her.

"We believe she was an unwilling participant during the incident, nor do we believe she was ever in control of the vehicle," the department said.

They shared a video from the scene, with deputies discussing how to grab Karen. Another photo shows the small alligator sitting inside the car.