Alachua man charged with threatening sons with knife, trying to hit son with car

Staff report

ALACHUA, Fla. – Robert Cornelius Jackson, 45, was arrested yesterday and charged with four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly threatening two of his juvenile sons with a knife, threatening one of his sons with a heavy metal rod, and trying to hit the same boy with a car.

At about 3 p.m. on November 14, Jackson reportedly discovered that a $50 bill was missing from his wallet. Believing one of his sons had taken it, he allegedly picked up an 8-inch hunting knife and yelled that he was going to “kill” someone if the money wasn’t returned. He allegedly walked toward one son with the knife in his hand, causing the teen to run into his bedroom. He then focused on the other son and allegedly pressed the blade of the knife into his son’s cheek while threatening him.

That son reportedly told the responding Alachua Police Department officer that he left the house, but Jackson followed him, holding a heavy metal rod that was about three feet long and weighed about five pounds. He said Jackson chased him up and down the road, trying to hit him with the rod, and then went back inside to get his keys. Jackson allegedly backed his vehicle out of the driveway, put it in Drive, and drove toward his son; his son said he moved out of the way when the car was two or three feet away from hitting him. The son said Jackson turned the vehicle around and tried again to hit him with the car; he again moved away.

Neither juvenile was injured, according to the responding officer.

Jackson has been charged with four counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon – two counts for threatening his sons with the knife, one for chasing his son with the metal rod, and one for trying to hit his son with his vehicle. Jackson has five felony convictions (none violent) and three misdemeanor convictions (none violent). Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial.

Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.