Gainesville man arrested for cutting man with a box cutter and siccing dog on him

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Napoleon Filer Jr., 64, was arrested yesterday for allegedly cutting a man with a box cutter and siccing his dog on him, leaving the victim with deep puncture wounds on his leg and a cut on his face.

A responding Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy reported that at about 4:50 p.m. on August 23, the victim was passing an apartment building in Linton Oaks (1200 block of SW 61st Street) when Filer called him over to ask for $30 that the victim owed him from a marijuana sale a few months ago.

The victim said he told Filer that he was recently fired from his job and was still working on getting the money; Filer became angry and said the victim needed to stop playing with him, and then he allegedly pulled out a box cutter and started swinging it at the victim.

The victim said that while he was dodging the box cutter, Filer’s dog ran out of the open front door of his apartment, Filer told the dog to “sic ’em,” and the dog charged at him. The victim said he pushed the dog away but was eventually bitten on the back of his leg. While the victim was immobilized, Filer allegedly hit the victim in the face with the box cutter, causing a small laceration to the victim’s cheek.

When the dog released the bite, the victim started searching for his glasses, and Filer reportedly told the victim, “If you don’t leave, I’ve got something else for you.” He walked into the apartment, and when he came back out in a few seconds, he was allegedly brandishing a firearm with a pink slide in his pocket; he allegedly said, “If you come back, I’m going to kill you.” The victim said the gun appeared to be a 9mm or .380 pistol. The victim said he rode away on his bike, leaving his glasses in the parking lot of the apartment building.

The deputy made contact with Filer at his apartment and detained him. Post Miranda, Filer reportedly said that nothing had happened that day and he had just come outside to cook food on the grill.

The deputy canvassed the area and reportedly found the victim’s glasses in the parking lot.

Filer has been charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He has four felony convictions (two violent) and 16 misdemeanor convictions (three violent); he has served one state prison sentence and was released in 2009. Judge Meshon Rawls ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s Office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing.

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.