Hidden Oak custodian arrested for battery on officer, charged with possession of drugs and stolen firearm

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kenneth Dale Anderson II, 35, was arrested early this morning after allegedly battering an officer; he was also charged with possession of a stolen firearm and possession of drugs. The School Board of Alachua County confirmed that he was a custodian at Hidden Oak Elementary but also said he will be placed on leave.

At about 12:25 a.m. on September 17, a Gainesville Police Department officer conducted a traffic stop on a car driven by Anderson for running a red light at the intersection of SE 3rd Avenue and SE Hawthorne Road. The vehicle reportedly stopped at a daycare in the 1700 block of SE Hawthorne Road, where a K-9 team alerted to the presence of illegal substances in the vehicle.

Anderson reportedly entered the door code on the lock, saying he was there to clean the business, and he allegedly tried to flee inside the building and then slammed the door of the building on an officer’s arm. The arresting officer reported that the victim suffered severe bruising and injury.

Officers took Anderson to the ground and placed him in handcuffs.

During a search of the vehicle based on the alert from the K-9, officers reportedly found a bag containing a Taurus G3C handgun with an extended magazine that had been reported stolen out of Columbia County in 2022. Three different illegal drugs were also reportedly found in the bag: 1.0 grams of powdered amphetamines, one MDMA pill, three amphetamines pills, and one suboxone pill.

The same bag also contained several pencils, and Henderson reportedly said he gives pencils to the children at Hidden Oak Elementary.

Post Miranda, Anderson reportedly said he had opened the building’s door to prove he had access to the business, but he did not admit to trying to lock himself inside the building to get away from officers. Anderson reportedly said his mother had rented the vehicle for him and added that only he and his mother drive the vehicle. He said he did not know anything about the drugs or the firearm and said his mother must have let someone else use the vehicle.

Anderson’s mother arrived and reportedly said she had rented the vehicle for Anderson, but the rental agreement was in his name. She said that only she and Anderson drive the vehicle.

Anderson has been charged with possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a controlled substance, battery on a law enforcement officer, and resisting an officer with violence. He has one felony conviction (non-violent), and Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $140,000.

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.