Gainesville man charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly brandishing gun in midtown

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jonathan Richard Watkins, 38, was arrested yesterday on a warrant for threatening three people with a gun and then charged with cocaine possession.

A security guard at Kava Hookah Lounge, in the 1000 block of W. University Avenue, told a Gainesville Police Department officer that he saw Watkins brandishing a gun on the sidewalk at about 1:30 a.m. on July 2, but the guard lost sight of Watkins when he walked into Mom’s OG Pub.

About 30 minutes later, three people approached the officer and said a man was waving a gun around behind Mom’s OG; the officer made contact with Watkins but was unable to find a gun, so he was released.

The victims once again approached the officer and said they saw Watkins take a handgun from a dumpster pocket, then he chambered a round while looking directly at them in a threatening manner. They said they were afraid he would shoot them, so they left the area.

Two of the three victims positively identified Watkins as the man they saw with the gun in a photo line-up; the third was not able to identify him. A sworn complaint was filed on July 3, and a warrant for Watkins’ arrest was issued on July 5.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy located Watkins at a gas station in the 7400 block of W. Newberry Road at about 11:30 a.m. yesterday and arrested him on the active warrant. A search incident to arrest reportedly produced about 0.8 grams of cocaine in his pocket.

Watkins has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, improper exhibition of a gun, and cocaine possession. He has three misdemeanor convictions (none violent). Judge Walter Green set bail at $60,000.

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.