Homeless man arrested for attacking acquaintance

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Christopher Dale Castillo, 39, was arrested early this morning and charged with aggravated battery after allegedly attacking another homeless man under the I-75 overpass on Archer Road.

The responding Gainesville Police Department officer reported that Castillo, the victim, and a witness are all acquaintances who live under the I-75 overpass at Archer Road or in a homeless camp off SW 40th Boulevard.

The officer reported that around midnight, the victim was walking from Wawa to the camp off SW 40th Boulevard and passed Castillo and the witness, who were sitting under the overpass. Castillo reportedly yelled at the victim to give him money or drugs, and when the victim refused and kept walking, Castillo allegedly picked up a large wooden object shaped like a pipe and hit the back of the victim’s head and the victim’s arm, yelling that he would find the victim later and kill him.

The victim reportedly sustained lacerations to his head and arm.

The witness reportedly said he did not see Castillo hitting the victim but heard it, and when he turned, he saw that Castillo had obviously just hit the victim with an object in his hands.

Castillo has seven felony convictions (three violent) and seven misdemeanor convictions (none violent). He has served four state prison sentences (three out of Columbia County, one out of Alachua County), with his most recent release in July 2024. Judge Adam Lee set bail at $35,000.

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.