Gainesville Man arrested for Swamp Car Wash murder pleads to manslaughter

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Eugene Javon Patrick, 24, has entered a plea of nolo contendere to manslaughter in the shooting death of Bobby Bernard Hopkins, Jr., at the Swamp Car Wash on May 22, 2021.

Patrick, who was originally charged with second-degree murder, pled to manslaughter, a lesser included offense with a maximum sentence of 15 years in state prison. The plea deal states that the parties have agreed to a sentence of 15 years in state prison, with credit for 682 days time served.

Judge James Colaw will sentence Patrick on April 24.

  • Make sure he does the remaining 4,793 (+/- 4) days. Not some reduced sentence for good behavior so he can restart his bad behavior.

    Wonder if he’s fathered a child? If so, odds are he, or we will, be reading about them in a future article.

    • People wonder what the problem is. Here’s an answer, the people in denial giving a “thumbs down” are.
      The regression of society continues.

      • Do u know what happened when he shot him? Do u know dude did to him? Cuz I know both of them and the whole story.

        • The State Attorney must have felt charges were warranted.
          His attorney must have felt differently.

          Maybe they knew the evidence better than you did and that’s why the plea deal was made.

          I’m not positive but maybe he can appeal if he was falsely led to enter into an agreement. There’s a pretty famous attorney who loves taking on cases where black defendants are falsely accused and sentenced.

        • Tam: I’m all ears. Tell the whole story. I’m sure it’s over drugs.

  • Hey! That Gainesville Police Department black on black crime crapp really works hu!.
    Everything GPD is is a Joke and Blacks Suffer just that much more. Ignorance All the way around.

  • This is what I’m talking about arrested for murder state attorney makes plea deal to manslaughter. He keeps his conviction rate up but lets a killer serve a minimal sentence in which he will likely be released early for some BS cause just so he can kill again.

  • I sat in court today with this young man Eugene Patrick I see this report fell to mention how Eugene Patrick was only trying to have services done to his vehicle being that he was at a car wash when he was attacked by Bobby Hopkins jr. By being strangled with force an which Bobby refused to let go of his throat so then that’s when Eugene fired one shot that killed Bobby Hopkins so if you ask me I feel if Bobby would’ve done as he was thought way back in grade school to keep his HANDS, FEET and OBJECT’S to him self he would still be her today

    • He pulled out his gun while he was getting strangled for no reason by Mr. Popular, and the guy STILL wouldn’t let go even with a gun pointed at him? From stuff posted online, Bobby was sort of a hustler (in a good way) who was generous and well liked. Many people figured Bobby probably had cash and/or drugs on him and got robbed. I guess he could have tried to strangle someone trying to rob him with a gun and he got shot. He was too well liked to be the kind of guy who strangles people for no reason down at the car wash at lunchtime. Eugene probably told that story for the sake of his family. He didn’t exactly wait for the police to arrive when it happened. Believe whatever you want.

  • Quick!!! Somebody spray some Raid on that bug on his head!! Nevermind. The Department of Corrections will take care of that when they shave his head.

  • Yes. The Florida Department of Corrections shaves every inmates head right after watching a 30 minute PREA (prison rape elimination act) video on repeat for about 3 hours.

    • That’s a good idea. Hair is the foundation of our individuality. These animals lost their privilege to be individuals. What better way to enforce this by shaving their Dookie Locks.

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