Sterling Heights woman finds alligator in her driveway

STERLING HEIGHTS, Mich. (FOX 2) - A Sterling Heights woman stepped out of her home to find an alligator - causing a first-of-its-kind call to police.

"I see neighbors standing here and looking under my car and taking pictures," said Marysoul Mousahurawi. "I'm like, okay, what's going on here?"

When this dentist walked outside Thursday morning these were not the pearly whites she expected.

"Everyone is like, 'There is an alligator under your car,' and I’m like, seriously?" she said.

Gators are not exactly native to Sterling Heights.

"I was in disbelief, like in Michigan?" said Mousahurawi.

We’re told, it was likely someone’s pet – who snuck out or got dumped and made a new home, off Ryan Road near 59.

Sterling Heights police were called in, confused – keeping their distance and calling in backup from the Reptarium Zoo in Utica.

Police on bodycam: "You want me to just grab his tail?"

Behind the body camera – Sterling Heights Police Lt. Aaron Susalla, tried to help.

"One of the officers pushed him from one side," she said.

He started slowly walking to the other side and she grabbed him.

On video you hear an "Aww ..."  from the lieutenant who wanted to pet him.

Police: "Is he purring is that what that is?"

"No, he’s definitely hissing," laughed the responder from the Reptarium.

The gator will now go to that Reptarium zoo, to warm up and relax.

The ordeal has left Mousahurawi with a new morning routine, that includes – checking under her car.

"Oh yeah definitely," she said. "Because I always come out the garage I don’t see what's under my car, but now on I’m going to be coming from this side looking under my car."

It is actually a misdemeanor in Sterling Heights to own a gator and police are looking to track the person responsible down.