Gainesville man charged with six felonies after fleeing from officers who were attempting to arrest him on a warrant

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Antonio Detron Williams, 37, was arrested yesterday after allegedly fleeing from patrol officers who were attempting to arrest him on a warrant.

At about 5:03 a.m. on January 18, an off-duty Gainesville Police Department Detective who knew that Williams had outstanding warrants saw him driving a car and provided updates until patrol vehicles caught up with Williams near the intersection of 13th Street and W. University Avenue. A traffic stop was attempted at the intersection of Main Street and University Avenue, but Williams allegedly made an illegal U-turn and drove away from five patrol vehicles with lights and sirens activated.

Officers had information that Williams lived somewhere inside Phoenix Apartments and went to that area, where they reportedly saw Williams driving northbound on SW 27th Street before he jumped out of his vehicle and fled on foot into the apartment complex. Officers established a perimeter and K-9 units responded, but Williams was not located at that time; he was arrested last night and charged with fleeing.

Williams was wanted on a warrant for a December 15 incident in the 100 block of NW 10th Street. At about 2:20 a.m., officers responded to the Checkers at 930 W. University Avenue, where the victim said she and Williams had gotten into a physical fight that resulted in a shattered window on her vehicle.

She said she ran from her vehicle, screaming for help, but although she passed bystanders, nobody helped her. She said she started knocking on doors in an attempt to get help, but nobody answered. She eventually managed to get a bystander to call 911 for her.

Responding officers found the victim’s vehicle on NW 10th Street, with the lights still on. A black shoulder bag on the ground reportedly contained four pills, 28.7 grams of methamphetamine, 1.2 grams of a white rock-like substance, 5.8 grams of marijuana, a digital scale, and baggies; officers determined that the bag belonged to Williams. Officers also reportedly found a 9mm Taurus handgun with an extended magazine on the ground outside the vehicle, within two feet of Williams’ cell phone. Another 29.4 grams of marijuana were reportedly found in the vehicle.

The victim’s backpack, with items that included a pair of Airpods belonging to a relative, was reportedly missing from the vehicle.

Although the victim said she only knew Williams as “Anthony,” officers obtained a picture of him and recognized him from previous encounters.

The officer noted that the contents of the shoulder bag indicated that Williams was engaged in selling narcotics, and the location of the vehicle was about 200 feet from a place of worship.

A sworn complaint was filed, charging Williams with possession of trafficking quantities of amphetamines, possession of narcotics with intent to sell near a place of worship, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of a controlled substance, domestic battery by strangulation, possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, theft, and property damage. He has also been charged with fleeing with lights and sirens active, and he is facing a sworn complaint for domestic battery on a different victim.

Williams has eight felony convictions (four violent) and one misdemeanor conviction (non-violent); he has served two state prison sentences out of Alachua County, including a 10-year sentence for attempted murder, with his most recent release in 2018. Judge Kristine Van Vorst set bail at $515,000 on the charges from the warrant and added $50,000 on the fleeing charge.

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. 

  • Ex-President Biden (Mr Corruption) just released a large bunch of Federal dopers. This being winter, where do you think many of them will settle? Warm(er) Florida, maybe? And Ward and company are all set to welcome them.

  • this guy is a career criminal , he an ass in jail to take care of, pls ship him off to hard labor camp for a long time

  • So he took a bag with airpods in it but left the bag with all the drugs and gun? That might have been her bag ijs

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