Homeless man arrested for armed trespassing

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Karl Eugene Merricks, 57, was arrested yesterday and charged with armed trespassing after a former girlfriend found him asleep on her couch with two knives.

At about 9:28 a.m. on February 21, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a home near the 3300 block of NW 53rd Avenue and reportedly found Merricks asleep on the victim’s couch. The officer reported that he had issued a trespass warning to Merricks the previous day at the same address, and the victim said she had spent the night at a hotel out of fear that Merricks would return; she said she contacted law enforcement immediately when she returned to her home and found Merricks asleep on the couch.

The officer reported that Merricks had a “large sumarai-style dagger/knife” concealed under him, between his arm and his side; the knife was removed, and Merricks was arrested. The officer noted that when Merricks was lifted from the couch, another small kitchen knife was found under him.

Post Miranda, Merricks reportedly admitted to entering the home through an unlocked back door because he was cold and knew he was not allowed to come back to the home. He denied having a knife at first and said the officer must have “put it on him,” but he later reportedly admitted to having the knife. The officer reported that Merricks could not explain why he armed himself while trespassing in the victim’s home.

Merricks, whose address is listed as St. Francis House, has been charged with armed trespassing. He has at least 11 felony convictions (one violent) and 10 misdemeanor convictions (non-violent), and he has served five state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2005. Judge James Colaw set bail at $100,000.

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.