Gainesville Police arrested a local man early Monday morning after he reportedly ran over an officer’s foot.
About 12:45 a.m., Dionte L. Ford, 21, reportedly drove through Grenada Apartments while an off-duty officer chased him on foot, suspecting Ford’s involvement in a fight earlier that evening, according to a police report.
Ford said he didn’t know the man was an officer. A separate uniformed officer tried to stop Ford by stepping in front of the car and raising his right hand. Ford slowed down and stopped, according to the report, but then accelerated, and his back tire ran across the officer’s right foot.
The officer was transported to North Florida Regional Medical Center.
"I do know that he’s OK and he was released," GPD spokeswoman Lt. Tscharna Senn said. Ford said he apologized after learning about the officer’s foot. Ford is a business management senior and basketball player at Faulkner University in Alabama."I can’t fight, man — I’m 21," Ford said. "I’m trying to do my thing with basketball."
Police arrested Ford on charges of aggravated battery on an officer and knowingly driving with a suspended or revoked license. Authorities took him to the Alachua County Jail where he was released Monday morning on his own recognizance.
Contact Giuseppe Sabella at gsabella@alligator.org and follow him on Twitter @Gsabella
Dionte L. Ford
