Homeless man on pre-trial release charged with threatening to kill officers after allegedly stealing scooter from Publix

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – David Roy Lucier, 68, was arrested yesterday after allegedly stealing a scooter from Publix and threatening to kill police officers.

At about 5:28 p.m. on April 15, a Gainesville Police Department officer found Lucier at the intersection of University Avenue and NW 13th Street, driving a motorized chair owned by Publix (203 NW 13th St.); a Publix employee had called to report that Lucier had taken the motorized chair without permission after he was asked to leave for urinating on the property in view of the public. The motorized chair is valued at about $2,000.

The officer reported that Lucier was drinking an open container of alcohol, and she asked him to put it down, but he allegedly refused. When she tried to take the bottle from him, he allegedly pulled away and tried to leave. Lucier was placed under arrest and handcuffed.

While the officer waited for backup, Lucier allegedly threatened to kick her in the teeth while moving his feet as if preparing to kick something. He asked several times for the handcuffs to be removed while allegedly making threats to fight with the officer.

Lucier reportedly said he had a pre-existing back injury, so he was transported to a hospital to be medically cleared. While at the hospital, he allegedly made more threats to harm the police officers and threatened to kick them while flailing his legs and warning them to stay away from him.

Lucier allegedly said he is an “Outlaw Sergeant of Arms” and that when he got out of jail, he would rip an officer’s heart out and “end it all.” He allegedly told an officer that she should leave Florida because “his threat was a promise”; he explicitly threatened to kill one officer and added, “You’re on my hit list.”

Lucier was also booked on a warrant for violating pre-trial release conditions. He was arrested last June for shoplifting and was released on his own recognizance, but a warrant for his arrest was issued after he did not make contact with court services as ordered. He was arrested again on July 3 and again released on his own recognizance after his attorney argued that he could not pay bail and would reside at GRACE Marketplace. Another arrest warrant was issued on July 31, stating that he still had not made contact with court services after his second release and his probation officer had no idea where he was. That warrant remained outstanding until yesterday.

Lucier has been charged with making threats against public servants, grand theft, assault on a police officer, and resisting an officer without violence. He has an unspecified criminal history in other states, including a prison sentence, and two Florida misdemeanor convictions (non-violent). He has an active warrant out of Georgia for failing to appear at a hearing in an aggravated stalking case. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $2,500 on the warrant and $122,000 on the new charges.

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.