Homeless man arrested for armed robbery after threatening woman with stolen gun

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Travis Lamont Hale, 44, was arrested yesterday morning and charged with armed robbery, felony battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. He is also facing a charge of grand theft for stealing the gun on June 7.

A Gainesville Police Department officer spoke with the victim, who reportedly had swelling on her face that medical staff believed could indicate a fracture. She told the officer that she had been living in a camper with Hale and that they had been arguing over an allegation of infidelity. She said Hale hit her in the face with a closed fist, then picked up a gun and held it under her chin, threatening to kill her.

The victim told the officer that she asked Hale to walk with her to the corner store to calm him down, but on the way, he started snatching her belongings, including her purse. She said he was carrying the gun, and while he did not pull it out again, she was afraid he would kill her.

On June 9, a sworn complaint was filed against Hale in which a woman alleged that Hale took her gun from her glove box after she broke up with him and told her to come back and get it in a few days; the gun described by the victim in the armed robbery matched the description of the stolen gun.

Post Miranda, Hale reportedly said he forced the victim out of the camper but did not punch her; he said the swelling was from an incident at another location. He denied having a gun but said he had taken his belongings from the victim.

Hale has five felony convictions (two violent) and 12 misdemeanor convictions (two violent). Judge Walter Green set bail at $95,000.

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.