Homeless man arrested for threatening two women and their dogs with 10-inch knife

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dylan Austin Kearce, 24, was arrested yesterday and charged with two counts of aggravated assault and resisting arrest after allegedly threatening to kill two women and their dogs with a knife.

Gainesville Police Department officers responded to a call from the 3300 block of SW Archer Road for an armed disturbance. The caller said that a man was threatening people with a pocket knife.

The officers located Kearce, who matched the description provided, and Kearce reportedly ran from the officers. He was apprehended after a short foot chase but allegedly resisted attempts to handcuff him.

After detaining Kearce, the officers spoke to the original victims, two women who reportedly said that Kearce had been causing issues at their camp all day and had threatened them with a large hunting knife after becoming agitated. The victims said the knife was about 10 inches in length from the hilt to the tip and that Kearce had yelled that he was going to kill them and their two dogs while waving the knife in the air. The victims said Kearce also threatened to burn their tent to the ground.

Kearce has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault and resisting arrest. Kearce has six felony convictions, one violent, and served an 18-month sentence in state prison for burglary, grand theft, and resisting arrest; he was released in January of this year. He is being held on $102,000 bail.

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.