Country music rang through campus and beer flowed heavily May 15 and 16 as Morgan Wallen made his Gainesville debut. The star’s only tour stop in Florida and one of only a few in the South, the back-to-back concerts drew thousands to The Swamp.
At least five people were arrested amid the floods of cowboy boots and baseball caps.
Night one: May 15
A pair of Jacksonville brothers, Michael and Ryan Chase, were charged with resisting arrest following an incident reported by two 12-year-olds around 10 p.m.
According to the arrest reports, a Florida Highway Patrol officer was working a section of seats on the east side of the stadium when the preteens approached.
The two alleged a group of men in their section had been inappropriately touching them. As they gave the officer the men’s descriptions, the group happened to walk by, according to the report, and began “hastily walking away” from law enforcement.
When told to stop, 27-year-old Michael Chase reportedly twisted away from the officer. It took three troopers to restrain him, according to the report, and Michael repeatedly threatened to fight the officers and tried to spit on them during the process.
Officers report Michael was “apparently impaired,” allegedly displaying bloodshot eyes and slurred speech.
After his arrest, Michael told law enforcement he knew the officers were there and only resisted because he was going to the bathroom.
His brother, 24-year-old Ryan Chase, also attempted to pull away from officers when they came to detain the pair, according to the report. Unlike Michael, Ryan reportedly didn’t show any “obvious indicators of impairment,” and he soon complied.
According to the report, officers investigated the battery allegations raised by the two 12-year-olds but determined there wasn’t enough evidence to charge them for it.
Michael was charged with one count of disorderly conduct and one count of resisting without violence. Ryan was charged with only the latter.
Night two: May 16
Two Ohio men were arrested around 6:30 p.m. and charged with trespassing.
Beau Mathis, a 34-year-old Cleveland resident, and Roshad Harris Lamont, a 35-year-old South Euclid resident, had reportedly been trespassed by the UF Police Department the previous day. The two were selling T-shirts but weren’t authorized to vend on campus, according to the arrest reports.
When they were seen selling shirts again May 16, both were charged with trespassing after warning and transported to the Alachua County Jail.
A few hours later, a man was arrested in the stadium for disorderly conduct.
When investigating a separate report of the same allegation, a FHP officer noticed shirtless Vincent Lee Neil, a 29-year-old from Fort White, Florida. According to the arrest report, Neil displayed “signs of being intoxicated” like stumbling and slurring his words, and his uncle helped him out of the crowd.
Officers carried Neil down the stadium stairs to escort him out, according to the report. They were previously advised Neil had been fighting other people in the crowd.
While escorting him out, Neil reportedly “postured up” to the reporting officer, and his “aggressive nature” eventually forced them both to the ground so Neil could be handcuffed.
According to the report, Neil continued to fight the effort as the officer cuffed him. Once his hands were cuffed, he allegedly kicked the officer’s leg — tearing his uniform, according to the report — and spit at him while cursing loudly.
Neil was charged with a count of battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting without violence and disorderly conduct. He was transported to the Alachua County Jail.
Contact Bailey Diem at bdiem@alligator.org. Follow them on X @BaileyDiem.
Bailey Diem is a journalism senior and the Summer 2026 Editor-in-Chief. Across six previous semesters, Bailey served as the editor of the metro desk and reported on both it and the university desk, in addition to working as Engagement Managing Editor last summer. When there's a free moment to snag between AP Style edits and stalking commission agendas, it's spent playing guitar, cuddling Tortellini the cat or getting lost in a good book.
