US man tosses alligator into restaurant

A Florida man has been charged after he threw a metre-long alligator into a fast food restaurant as a practical joke.

A Florida fast food restaurant got a customer it wasn't expecting when a live alligator was tossed through a drive-thru window by a patron.

Joshua James, 23, of Jupiter, Florida, had wanted to play a practical joke on a friend working at the Wendy's restaurant in Royal Palm Beach when he decided to hurl the reptile into the building, his parents told local broadcaster WPTV.

"It was a stupid prank," Linda James said.

James faces charges of aggravated assault, and unlawful possession and transportation of an alligator, WPTV said. The incident took place in October.

James found the metre-long alligator on the side of the road and led the reptile into his truck, according to a Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission incident report cited by the station.

He drove to the Wendy's restaurant and placed an order, received a drink at the drive-thru window, and then threw the alligator through the opening, it said.

The report contains a photo of the alligator sitting on the floor of the restaurant, WPTV reported.

The alligator was released back into the wild.