Homeless man arrested at Sunshine Inn with knife, also charged with two stabbings and holding a woman prisoner in her own tent outside GRACE Marketplace

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Trevor Dranton Garrison, 40, was arrested late last night at the Sunshine Inn and charged with drug possession, possession of a concealed knife, and providing false identification to law enforcement. He is also facing charges in two Holly Heights stabbings and for allegedly holding a woman prisoner in her own tent near GRACE Marketplace for several hours until someone happened to enter the tent and saw them.

A Gainesville Police Department officer made contact with Garrison at about 11:15 p.m. last night in the parking lot of the Sunshine Inn at 4155 NW 13th Street. The arrest report notes that the area is known for narcotics sales and use. The officer reported that Garrison gave him an ID card for Javaris Kates, but when he ran the ID, he found that Kates is currently in the Alachua County Jail. The officer arrested Garrison for providing a false ID; it took officers about 30 minutes to confirm his identity, and when they did, they learned he was wanted on two warrants.

In a search incident to arrest, the officer reportedly found a straight knife that was about 9.75 inches long; the knife was reportedly concealed in Garrison’s pocket. The officer also reportedly found 10 baggies of MDPV, weighing about 6.3 grams. Drug equipment and about 1 gram of methamphetamine were also reportedly found in Garrison’s car.

Garrison has six felony convictions and was released from state prison in 2021 after serving a 15-year sentence for aggravated battery on a pregnant woman.

Garrison is also facing charges of kidnapping and aggravated assault after allegedly waiting in a woman’s tent outside GRACE Marketplace with a knife on October 20 and telling her that if she did not come inside the tent, he would kill her. He then allegedly held her in the tent for about three hours, repeatedly telling her he would kill her if she called the police. Fortunately, another woman reportedly opened the tent because she believed a friend was inside, saw Garrison with the knife, and pulled the victim out of the tent, then reported the incident. Both the victim and the witness said they knew Garrison and saw him every day.

Sworn complaints were also filed for stabbings in the Holly Heights area on August 28 and September 3. Both victims were transported to the hospital.

Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $927,500.

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.