Plastic Surgeon in Garland, TX

Alejandro Jaramillo, an animal control officer for the city, assumed this would be an ordinary rat snake. Even then, it would be his first ever snake call in two years on the job. When he arrived on the scene, near the intersection of Apache Drive and Broadway Boulevard, he saw this was no ordinary rat snake.

The python stretched 15 feet, its massive body slithering across the yard. Nearby, a man peered down from his truck, where he took refuge to escape the reptile.

“My heart sank a little bit when I saw it,” Jaramillo told The Dallas Morning News on Tuesday. “I was like ‘Oh boy.’”

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Video posted by the city Tuesday showed the 15-foot reticulated python wriggling across the grass as a crowd gathered to watch in horror and perhaps fascination.

Jaramillo said he first grabbed the snake hook, which he quickly realized would be far too small. He then tried to grab the python with his bare hands, which the snake did not like and attempted to strike back. When the snake headed toward the road, Jaramillo pulled it back into the yard.

“It was agitated,” he said. “They’re a lot faster than you think it would be.”

The python eventually slithered into the engine of a nearby truck, and Jaramillo lured it out by making loud noises. After about two hours, he was able to capture the animal using a net and catch pole. A co-worker delivered a tote bag large enough to hold the snake.

On Facebook, the city of Garland praised Jaramillo for staying “calm, professional, and focused on protecting the community and the animal.”

For his part, Jaramillo said he was shaking the entire time.

Authorities later found the snake’s owner, who was in the process of moving when the animal got loose. The owner plans to reclaim the python Wednesday and move it to its new home outside Garland, said Alberto Maldonado, community outreach coordinator for Garland Animal Services.

The owner was not cited, Maldonado said, adding that he had a state license to own an exotic pet.

Reticulated pythons are the longest snakes in the world and among the heaviest. They can grow up to 25 feet long and weigh well over 100 pounds. The snakes are constrictors, which means they kill prey by wrapping around them and squeezing.

In very rare cases, the pythons have swallowed humans.

This is not the first time a loose snake menaced North Texas. In 2021, a highly venomous cobra escaped its unsecured enclosure in Grand Prairie, where residents were so worried they reported losing sleep.

The snake’s owner was sentenced to 15 months of community supervision. The snake was never found.

This post is sponsored and contributed by Trilogy Investment Co., a Patch Brand Partner.

Sale of Eastern Hills Country Club Site to National Homebuilder Marks Major Milestone

This is a paid post contributed by a Patch Community Partner. The views expressed in this post are the author's own, and the information presented has not been verified by Patch.

Trilogy Investment Co. (TIC), a leading real estate investment and development firm specializing in land development, build-to-rent (BTR) and for-sale residential communities, is proud to announce the successful sale of a significant 177-acre parcel in Garland, Texas. Formerly known as Eastern Hills Country Club and located at 3000 S. Country Club Road, the site has been sold to Pulte, one of the nation’s top three homebuilders, marking a major win for all parties involved.

The master-planned community is slated for approximately 300 single-family homes, with homes ranging from 1,700 to 2,000 square feet. The transaction underscores Trilogy’s proven ability to deliver fully permitted, development-ready lots in high-demand markets.

“This deal is a perfect example of Trilogy’s strength in solving complex pre-construction challenges and transforming underutilized land into vibrant, buildable communities,” said Jason Joseph, CEO and Managing Partner of Trilogy Investment Co. “From resolving intricate easement issues to securing agreements with the city and surrounding landowners, our team’s expertise created a turnkey opportunity for one of the country’s premier builders.”

This strategic transaction demonstrates Trilogy’s continued focus on adding value through entitlement, infrastructure coordination and municipal collaboration—delivering shovel-ready sites that meet the needs of top-tier homebuilders. It also reinforces the company’s presence in Texas, a key growth market.

“We’re incredibly proud of our team’s hard work and persistence in bringing this complex deal to the finish line,” said John Boniface, Chief Development Officer. “We also want to thank our partner Blue River Development, led by Brad Cooper, Managing Principal, for their collaboration and trust throughout this process and Pejman Zahmatkesh with Rogers Healy & Associates real estate for their efforts in bringing the deal to us.”

The Garland site is expected to bring high-quality housing options to a fast-growing suburb of Dallas, contributing to much-needed inventory in the area’s tight housing market.

Recognized as an industry leader in both land development and BTR, Trilogy Investment Co. is known for its innovative approach, quality-focused communities, and strong public-private partnerships. As the company continues expanding its footprint throughout North Carolina and beyond, it remains dedicated to setting new standards in residential development and community building.

To learn more, visit www.TrilogyIC.com or follow Trilogy Investment Co. on LinkedIn.

This post is an advertorial piece contributed by a Patch Community Partner, a local brand partner. To learn more, click here.

A 15-foot yellow python weighing 85 pounds had to be pulled from a parked vehicle's engine Saturday night. After more than two hours, the Garland Animal Control Officer safely captured the python.

It was around 11 p.m. Saturday when Alejandro Jaramillo, the Garland Animal Control Officer, got a call.

“They just told me that it was gonna be a snake. I did not know that when I would arrive, it would be a 15-foot python,” Jaramillo said.

Jaramillo’s snake prongs, he said, were of no use.

“Normally, we use these to grab the head of the snake so you can control it. Obviously, its head was too big to be controlled by this and it was too strong,” Jaramillo said.

Instead, Jaramillo had to use a net and a catch pole. Still, the snake continued to slither away.

“It turned around when I pulled its tail and tried to lunge at me,” Jaramillo recalled. “From there, it slithered underneath his truck and then went up into his engine bay to where I had to attempt to pull it out or lure it out.”

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Nick Garza lives next door.

“It was crazy,” Garza said. “It was huge … it was like a snake you see at the zoo, you know?”

Experts determined the snake was likely someone’s pet based on its size and color.

“A 15-foot python doesn't happen naturally. It has to have been fed in good condition and stuff like that. So that's how we kind of knew,” said Alberto Maldonado, the community outreach coordinator for the Garland Animal Shelter. “And on top of that, it was banana colored. So, that is another indication that a lot of people have like a pet (snake).”

Within six hours of its safe capture, Maldonado said numerous people volunteered to foster the python.

“It’s being taken care of,” Maldonado said. “In the city of Garland, regardless of the size of the animal or the shape or what kind of animal it is, we're always going to be there to provide our services for them.”

On Tuesday morning, Maldonado was notified that the owner of the python had come forward.

“The owner of the Python was actually moving addresses. He's moving out of the city limits. And in the meantime, he decided to put up the snake enclosure and put the python in a temporary case for it to be living for a little while,” Maldonado said.

The snake, however, made its way out. The snake was found near Apache and Broadway in South Garland.

“It didn't get very far at all, if anything. It just had to cross one major road, and it was there. So, I'd say about maybe like 400 yards, if that.”

Maldonado said the owner will not face any citations.

“Just like how we don't get you in trouble for your dog running out at large, it's the same thing. It's a pet. It was an isolated incident,” Maldonado said. “It was an accident, and he came forward, gave us all the paperwork and documentation to prove that it was his.”

The owner will only have to pay a standard impound fee before being reunited with their pet.

Garland voters appear to have elected Dylan Hedrick as the city's next mayor.

Unofficial results in Dallas County show Hedrick with 51.7% of the vote over opponent and former city council colleague Deborah Morris in Saturday's runoff election, with all precincts reporting as of 10:42 p.m. The two candidates are separated by just over 260 votes.

In a statement on Facebook late Saturday night, Hedrick said he is "deeply honored and humbled."

"Garland is a city with incredible potential, and I’m ready to get to work on day one," he wrote. "Together, we’ll focus on rebuilding our streets, improving public safety, supporting economic growth, and making city government more responsive and available to the citizens of Garland."

He will replace outgoing Mayor Scott LeMay, who is term-limited.

During his campaign Hedrick’s priorities included city streets, economic development and bringing a hospital back to Garland.

"Who better to rebuild Garland City streets than someone who does that every day for a living?” Hedrick, a civil engineer, told KERA last month.

Hedrick previously served three terms representing District 7 on the City Council. Morris, an author, also served on the city council before terming out in 2024.

The two advanced over four other candidates in last month’s municipal election, which Morris led with 42% of the vote. Voters also approved a $360 million bond package to pay for street improvements, economic development, cultural arts and parks and recreation.

Hedrick will be sworn in June 17 at city hall.

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