Gainesville man arrested for displaying handgun after battering victim

Staff report

Updated on September 1 with pre-trial detention information.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Tarry Lee Stine, 57, was arrested last night after allegedly battering a man, displaying a handgun, and refusing to surrender to deputies for 45 minutes.

At about 9:12 p.m. on August 25, Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the residence of Stine and both witnesses in the 4900 block of SW 63rd Boulevard and made contact with the victim, who had multiple cuts on his torso and arms. The victim said he had driven one of the witnesses to her residence, and after they arrived, she got into an argument with the second witness.

While the two witnesses were arguing, Stine allegedly reached through the open passenger side window of the victim’s vehicle and punched the victim multiple times, causing the cuts observed by the deputy; Stine then allegedly stepped back and lifted his shirt, displaying a small black handgun in his waistband. The victim said he was in fear for his life after seeing the handgun, and he left the residence.

The first witness reportedly said the victim drove her to her home, and she got into an argument with the second witness outside the vehicle. She said she saw Stine reach into the open passenger side window and hit the victim multiple times before stepping back, lifting his shirt, and displaying a handgun in his waistband. She said she was in fear for the victim’s life when she saw the handgun. She added that she had previously seen Stine with a handgun at their residence, but it was in a holster.

The second witness reportedly said the first witness arrived with the victim, and she and the first witness started arguing. She said the victim was in the driver’s seat of the vehicle, and Stine reached through the open passenger side window and hit the victim; then he backed up and lifted his shirt. She said Stine carries a pellet gun, and he showed it to her earlier and told her it was a pellet gun; however, she said it would be easily mistaken for a real handgun.

Deputies surrounded Stine’s residence and issued commands for him to come out; the second witness reportedly came out of the residence and said Stine was inside. Deputies continued to give commands over a loudspeaker for over 45 minutes, and they reported that they saw Stine looking at them from a window. After about 45 minutes, Stine came outside and was arrested.

Stine has been charged with burglary with battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and resisting an officer without violence. He has 13 felony convictions (four violent) and eight misdemeanor convictions (three violent), and he has served three state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2023. 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. On September 1, Judge Susanne Wilson Bullard granted the motion and ordered him held 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.