Gainesville man arrested for trying to hit victim with minivan

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Jimmy Asbery Smith, 39, was arrested last night after allegedly trying to hit another man with his minivan in the Windsor area.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to SE CR 234 in the Windsor area last night at about 9 p.m. to a report that Smith had tried to hit another man with a minivan following a property dispute. The victim reportedly said that Smith had said he was going to kill him and that he had to run and jump behind a large tree to avoid being hit by the minivan. The victim reportedly added that Smith told him to leave the property and take his belongings and that anything he left behind would belong to Smith.

The victim said he left the property for his own safety after Smith tried to hit him, and when he returned with the deputy, he reportedly discovered that all of his belongings had been stolen.

Smith has been charged with larceny and with aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony. He has one violent felony conviction and six misdemeanor convictions in Alachua County, including a conviction in June of 2022 for resisting arrest and simple assault on a law enforcement officer, with a sentence of $678 in court and prosecution costs. He is being held on $85,000 bail.

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.