SARASOTA COUNTY, Fla. — A 25-year-old woman is recovering after her authorities said her SUV struck a nearly 9-foot alligator and rolled several times before crashing into a pole in a rural part of Sarasota County before sunrise on Easter Sunday.
Maslin Kurtz said she initially believed she had blown a tire when her vehicle veered off the road along Fruitville Road near Cowpen Lane.
“I thought I hit something and blew a tire just because it ripped my car off of the road,” Kurtz said.
Authorities said Kurtz’s Toyota 4Runner hit the alligator, causing the vehicle to overturn multiple times. Photos show extensive damage to the SUV.
Kurtz said she became trapped inside the vehicle after the crash.
“I just remember being stuck in my car like I was crushed between the roof and the steering wheel,” she said. “I’m just kind of stuck there, not sure what happened.”
She said she prayed for help as cars passed by, unsure where she had landed off the roadway.
“I was just praying that somebody would see me,” she said. “I saw lights go by and thought I was behind a bush or something. I didn’t know where I had ended up.”
A couple stopped and called 911, helping Kurtz out of the wreckage, she said.
Kurtz was hospitalized for four days at Sarasota Memorial Hospital, including two days in the intensive care unit. She suffered multiple injuries, including fractures to her spine, sternum and left scapula.
“I have a few fractures on my spine. My sternum is fractured and then my left scapula,” she said.
She is expected to make a full recovery but must wear a brace for four to six weeks and undergo physical therapy.
Kurtz said she feels fortunate to have survived the crash. Her home is now filled with balloons and cards, and she said the couple who helped rescue her later visited and brought her a stuffed alligator.
“It was very emotional,” she said. “I’m just grateful that I’m here and I give all the glory to God,” Kurtz.
Authorities said the alligator did not survive the crash and was removed from the roadway. A GoFundMe has been started to help Kurtz with her medical expenses.
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