Homeless man with 57 criminal convictions arrested for hitting apartment complex employee while trying to steal an e-bike

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Joseph Anthony Simpson, 56, was arrested yesterday on a warrant for a September incident in which he allegedly hit an employee of Infinity Hall while trying to steal an e-bike.

According to the responding Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officer, at about 6:24 a.m. on September 23, an employee of Infinity Hall (978 SW 2nd Avenue) arrived at work and heard noises coming from the bicycle storage area that is adjacent to the parking lot. The employee confronted Simpson while calling 911 and closing the gate, and Simpson allegedly hit the employee in the arm, which allowed the gate to open and subsequently allowed Simpson to escape.

The officer reported that it appeared Simpson used a cordless Sawzall to cut a cable lock securing the victim’s e-bike to the bike rack, and the employee saw Simpson place the cable lock in his backpack before he fled.

The officer also reported that Simpson was captured on video surveillance, stealing or attempting to steal “numerous” bikes and e-bikes, some of which may not have been reported yet. Both GPD and University ot Florida Police Department (UFPD) officers reportedly had contact with him while he was wearing the clothing shown on the video. A UFPD officer reported that when he spoke to Simpson, Simpson was on an e-bike that was registered to a student who lives at Infinity Hall. However, there are no recent charges in his court docket besides the September incident.

The officer noted, “[Simpson] has proven to be a quality-of-life issue in the downtown, midtown, and University of Florida campus areas and has been convicted of numerous theft-related crimes in the past.”

Simpson, who is listed as homeless on the arrest report, has been charged with burglary, burglary with battery, and petit theft with a prior conviction. He has 20 felony convictions (one violent) and 37 misdemeanor convictions (three violent) and has served 13 state prison sentences, with his most recent release in April 2025. Judge Meshon Rawls ordered him held without bail on the burglary with battery charge, pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing. Judge Rawls set bail at $150,000 on the other two 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.