HomeCrimeConvicted felon arrested with stolen gun after high-speed chase on Williston Road

Convicted felon arrested with stolen gun after high-speed chase on Williston Road

August 11, 2023

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – De’angelo Roshmel Williams, 24, was arrested yesterday morning and charged with multiple gun offenses after allegedly fleeing at high speed on Williston Road.

At about 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, law enforcement officers patrolling on Williston Road saw a car with dark window tint and attempted to pull the car over at the entrance to The Polos. The car initially pulled over but then accelerated and drove away westbound at about 55 mph on Williston Road.

The car, still followed by law enforcement, reportedly accelerated as it approached SW 34th Street, so officers disengaged but saw the car enter I-75 northbound. An alert for the car was issued.

At about 10:37 a.m., Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies saw the car exit I-75 at Archer Road and pull into the parking lot of Drury Inn and Suites. Deputies reportedly saw a man get out of the car and run behind the hotel.

A witness at the scene reported that the man threw several items behind some bushes.

Deputies found Williams hiding behind a trash can; as deputies contacted him, Williams allegedly threw car keys into the trash can.

A search along Williams’ path reportedly produced a baggie with 3.3 grams of marijuana and a Ruger 9mm handgun in an inside-the-waistband holster. The gun had been reported stolen in Gainesville on June 23, 2023, and was loaded with eight roads of ammunition.

Williams has been charged with fleeing from law enforcement, marijuana possession, tampering with evidence, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, grand theft of a firearm, and eight counts of possession of ammunition by a convicted felon.

Williams has 13 felony convictions (none violent) and four misdemeanor convictions (none violent). He was released from state prison in March 2023 after serving 15 months on charges of fleeing, resisting arrest, marijuana possession, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and driving without a valid license. He previously served a two-year prison sentence on 11 charges including burglary, fleeing, grand theft of a motor vehicle, and trafficking in stolen property.

Judge Walter Green set bail at $10,000 per charge, for a total of $130,000, but Williams’ attorney has already filed an unopposed motion for reduction of bond, arguing that a 1st DCA ruling prohibits charging a defendant with more than one count of possession of a weapon or ammunition at a particular moment.

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. 

  • One look at that feller and you can tell his elevator doesn’t go all the way up.

  • Another Alachua County ReCycling criminal that will only get worse. Good God man ,get real and lock him away.

  • Hmmmm…dark window tint. Before some claim otherwise, probably couldn’t identify the person.
    On other hand, typical – another person/felon who was, by law, not permitted to have a firearm.
    They’re packing, you should, (if your legally able), to have protection for your Tylenol/Advil as well.

    • I totally agree with you I would add know florida SYG law understand your rights as a gun owner practice gun control being able to hit what your shooting at and by all means if the need arises don’t be afraid to use your gun shoot center mass none of this just wanting to disable them remember the only side of the situation you want law enforcement to hear is your’s dead men can’t tell lies

  • AGAIN, 15 months prison for a gun crime. Repeat offender and gutless Walter Green gives a $10,000 bail. Mayor Ward, how will this continuous revolving door on gun crimes solve your violence problem?

      • If you read the article, it was $10,000 per charge. The gun charge was therefore $10,000. $80,000 was window dressing because the idiot judge knows good and well you can’t assign bail on each of the BS bullet charges anyway.

    • That’s Right…this is what they should be addressing at their gun violence summit…the state attorney office needs to be at these summit meetings and addressing the topic of convicted felons having guns and maybe Desantis needs to replace these SA’s that keep dropping charges on repeat felons with guns.

  • This guy is a lifetime loser. Don’t let him off easy because he will return to crime and hurt innocent people. He hasn’t learned anything from previous jail sentences.

  • De’Angelo was one of my 3rd grade students at Metcalfe. Even then his life was terrible at a young age. He was emotionally immature, cried often, was always hungry and would come to school with dirty clothes and smelling. My heart goes out to him because he never had a chance for a normal life. I had no doubt in my mind he was headed for a life of crime.

    • Not trivializing his childhood but I am disagreeing with the presumption that “he never had a chance for a normal life.”
      If that’s the view you had while teaching you likely failed your students and any future aspirations they may have had. Everyone is presented with choices throughout their lives, he’s made bad ones.

    • Having a child is a big responsibility…nuclear family is best…don’t breed em if you can’t educate & feed him. It’s your responsibility to feed and educate your child, not me.

  • Let’s see, arrested last night, bond set and Walter will reduce it. Back on the street in time for some Saturday night shooting!

  • Another stolen gun! Responsible gun owners please don’t leave your weapon in your unlocked cars because many a thug gun has been stolen by the gangbangers pulling on handles of unlocked cars.

    • Why not address thugs who steal from lawful citizens
      When arrested with a stolen firearm put their A$$ in prison for 10 or more years make it a no bail crime let them sit in jail until their trial

  • He needs to spend the rest of his life in prison, we don’t need the trash running around!

  • The city of Gainesville had a meeting about gun violence at he Hilton why not go where the crimes are being committed if they would read the paper they would be in east Gainesville talking not down town how much money did they spend renting that room

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