Homeless man arrested for using a hatchet to threaten a maintenance worker
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Braja Mandala Sanchez, 38, was arrested yesterday after allegedly threatening a maintenance worker while holding a hatchet.
At about 1:37 p.m. on April 2, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to the Millhopper Publix (2201 NW 43rd Street), where a maintenance worker said he had asked Sanchez to move so he could clean the area with a lawn blower; he said Sanchez became angry, stood up, took a handheld hatchet from an orange cooler, and took a step toward the victim. The victim said he was in fear that Sanchez would harm him with the hatchet, so he backed away.
A witness who knew Sanchez told an officer that there had been an argument about dirt being blown on Sanchez’s food, but the witness denied that any threats were made.
The cooler was reportedly found near Arby’s (4253 NW 25th Avenue), and the hatchet was found in a shopping cart at Five Guys (4222 NW 16th Boulevard). Officers established a perimeter around Arby’s, and Sanchez reportedly came out of the restaurant voluntarily, telling an officer that there were two sides to every story.
Post Miranda, Sanchez reportedly said he had been cutting food near Publix when the victim blew dirt all over his food with a lawn blower. He said he asked the victim not to do that and to give him a minute to pack up, and then he packed up and left the area; he denied using the hatchet to threaten the victim.
Sanchez, whose address is listed as St. Francis House, has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He has two felony convictions (one violent) and seven misdemeanor convictions (one violent); he served a nine-month jail sentence in 2025 for battery on a victim over 65 years old. Judge William Davis set bail at $20,000.
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
Some persons are houseless for good reason.
Let’s put Puerto Rico to good use for a change.
Puerto Rico is part of the United States as an unincorporated territory. They are American Citizens.
So much for the St. Francis House pitch that they only served homeless families with kids.
I’m sure all these homeless miscreants will be gone when the cities 10 year plan to end homelessness is realized. Another liberal money waister
He should be deported to whatever country he came from.
His arrest record shows he was born in the blue state of Washington on the left coast. I agree though that he needs to be sent elsewhere he does have a history of violence.
Another POS sponsored by the city of Gainesville and Alachua County commissions I thought about buying signs and putting in front of each commissioner’s house along the fat mayor that says this Home welcome homeless please come in anyone will make a bet how long it be before cops are called