Metro | Criminal Justice - The Independent Florida Alligator

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Florida hit-and-run crashes increased in 2021

By Troy Myers | Feb. 4, 2022

The start of hit-and-run awareness month brings concerning news: fatalities from hit-and-runs have risen in Florida since 2018. In 2021, there was about a 17% increase of total hit-and-run crashes, about an 18% increase of fatalities and a 20% increase of all serious injuries compared to 2020, the Feb. 1 FLHSMV press release said.

A mural on the Southwest 34th St. graffiti wall for the victims of the 1990 "Gainesville Ripper" murders is seen on Wednesday, Jan. 12.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

‘You will never be forgotten’: Community remembers murder victims over 30 years later

By Alexis Carson | Jan. 18, 2022

Five Gainesville college students were murdered in their apartments along Archer Road in August 1990, and three of them were brutally assaulted by a man dubbed “The Gainesville Ripper.” The Florida Department of Law Enforcement caught the murderer after a nine-month-long search where he, Danny Rolling, was executed by lethal injection in 2006.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Alachua County has seen an increase in positive COVID-19 cases among jail inmates

By Troy Myers | Jan. 9, 2022

As of Friday, more than 100 inmates at the Alachua County Jail are positive for COVID-19, said Alachua County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Captain Kaley Behl.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Recent UF graduate dies after being hit by a truck at a crosswalk

By Erina Anwar | Jan. 7, 2022

Sabrina Obando, a 22-year-old UF graduate from Miami, was killed after being hit by a pickup truck on Tuesday at a crosswalk in the intersection of Northwest 8th Avenue and Northwest 10th Street.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Hawthorne woman killed by tractor-trailer on highway

By Troy Myers | Jan. 7, 2022

A 49-year-old Hawthorne woman was hit by a tractor-trailer as she was standing by a mailbox on U.S. Route 301 near Northeast 78th Place, according to a Florida Highway Patrol press release released Wednesday.

Jada Davis (left), transformative justice co-lead, and Kiara Laurent (right), digital communications coordinator, unveil Dream Defenders' demands at the Alachua County Jail. The organization gave Sheriff Clovis Watson 12 days to respond, which is how long they say Erica Thompson's cries for help were ignored.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Activists unveil demands in death of former inmate’s baby following internal investigation

By Jiselle Lee | Dec. 10, 2021

GoDDsville Dream Defenders, a local activist group working with Thompson, announced its plan to launch a petition against the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office on Monday.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Man arrested in connection to pursuit that closed Interstate 75

By Omar Ateyah | Dec. 3, 2021

Marandoe Acell Lamar Young, 21, was arrested Thursday by an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit after a chase that started in Columbia County.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

High Springs woman, 13-year-old girl dead on Thanksgiving Interstate 75 crash

By Meghan McGlone | Nov. 28, 2021

The incident occurred Thursday morning near mile marker 397, according to a Florida Highway Patrol press release. The crash was two miles south of the High Springs exit, FHP spokesperson Patrick Riordan said.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Marion County man arrested on UF’s Sorority Row

By Isabella Douglas | Nov. 10, 2021

Antonio Murray, 21, had a warrant for invading a home in Marion County at gunpoint, ACSO spokesperson Art Forgey said. He was booked at Alachua County Jail Monday with a $25,000 bond.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Gainesville man arrested for killing high school student in car crash, injuring victim’s mother

By Isabella Douglas | Nov. 5, 2021

Declan Lott-Kelley, 23, was charged with driving with a suspended license, the death of Audrey Cheves and causing serious bodily injury to her mother, Melissa, all while driving under the influence, a Gainesville Police Department arrest warrant read.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Former UF resident assistant found guilty of sexual battery, kidnapping after two-year trial delay

By Isabella Douglas | Nov. 1, 2021

A former UF resident assistant was found guilty of attempted sexual battery, kidnapping and burglary Wednesday after about two years of a postponed trial. He’ll be sentenced Dec. 13.

Joseph McDugald (middle), 18, UF freshman, is arrested by the University Police Department for refusing to leave an RTS bus in front of the Marston Science Library on Monday, Oct. 26, 2021. He was booked at the Alachua County Jail and released on Tuesday afternoon.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

UF freshman arrested on campus for refusing to leave RTS bus

By Isabella Douglas | Oct. 27, 2021

Joseph McDugald, an 18-year-old UF freshman, was charged with trespassing by the University Police Department at about 1 p.m., UPD spokesperson Rick Taylor said.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Two Newberry High School students to be charged as adults in connection to bomb threats

By Isabella Douglas | Oct. 22, 2021

Two Newberry High School students will be tried as adults in connection to the recent bomb threats at Alachua County Public schools. The two were transferred to the Alachua County Jail Wednesday.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Gainesville Police Department to destroy guns collected through buyback program

By Isabella Douglas | Oct. 20, 2021

The Gainesville Police Department released data and discussed updates to its “One Community” plan during a city commission meeting Monday amid increasing gun violence.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Gainesville police search for suspects from last week’s Green Apple Liquor shooting

By Isabella Douglas | Oct. 18, 2021

Gainesville Police Department responded to reports of multiple shots fired at the intersection of Northeast 16th Avenue and Northeast Waldo Road around 3:30 p.m., a GPD release read. As of Oct. 15, two suspects have been identified.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Gainesville man charged with stalking, voyeurism after being caught on student Ring footage

By Faith Buckley | Oct. 18, 2021

Matthew Henry, 56, was charged with stalking and three charges of voyeurism in the first degree after allegedly looking through a 19-year-old UF student’s window at Windsor Park, according to an affidavit filed in a UF student’s name Tuesday.

Johnston Chiropractic Health Center is seen on Northwest 13 Street on Monday, Oct. 11, 2021.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Johnston Chiropractic Health Center closes doors amid sexual assault claims, protests

By Isabella Douglas | Oct. 18, 2021

The chiropractic center, located on 1405 NW 13th St., permanently closed Oct. 11 following sexual abuse allegations made against 67-year-old owner John Johnston.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Gainesville man dies in Alachua’s Copeland Park shooting at unauthorized party

By Isabella Douglas | Oct. 11, 2021

A Gainesville man died from gunshot wounds early Sunday morning after attending a party near Copeland Park in the city of Alachua.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Alachua County Public Schools bomb threats persist despite arrests

By Jiselle Lee and Isabella Douglas | Oct. 6, 2021

The incident marked the seventeenth threat against Alachua County Public Schools since Aug. 19.

METRO | CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Two Newberry students arrested for bomb and shooting threats, Buchholz bomb threat culprit to be charged as an adult

By Faith Buckley | Oct. 1, 2021

Two students were arrested Thursday in connection with four bomb threats and one shooting threat at the Newberry's high school and middle school