Homeless man arrested for threatening member of logging crew with a knife at Newnans Lake State Forest

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

ALACHUA COUNTY, Fla. – Carl Rasson Harrison, 52, was arrested yesterday after allegedly threatening a member of a logging crew with a knife on Newnans Lake State Forest property, which is adjacent to GRACE Marketplace. Harrison’s address is listed as GRACE Marketplace.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officers responded to a report that a man was threatening a worker on a logging crew at the State Forest. The victim reported that he was eating lunch when he was approached by a man, later identified as Harrison, who pulled out a folding knife and told him, “Get off my land or I will kill you.” The victim reported that the man then walked into the woods but later returned and followed him. The man also reportedly talked to the victim’s boss and told him the crew needed to leave because the land belonged to him. After the victim’s boss told the man that police were on the way, the man reportedly walked back into the woods.

An officer made contact with Harrison and ordered him to stand up to be handcuffed, but Harrison allegedly began to passively resist. He eventually stood up and started walking with the officers, but when they grabbed his hands to handcuff him, he allegedly began actively resisting. He was taken to the ground, where he allegedly continued to resist until the handcuffs were secured. A search incident to arrest reportedly found a folding knife matching the description given by the victim. Harrison was placed under arrest for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and resisting arrest without violence.

Harrison has eight felony convictions and has served two state prison sentences; he was most recently released in July of 2021 after serving five years for burglary with assault. He has been in Alachua County for about one year. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $40,000.

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.