Homeless woman arrested for chasing downtown business owner with wooden board

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Shameka Shontel Washington, 43, was arrested on Tuesday for allegedly chasing a downtown business owner while threatening to hit him with a three-foot wooden board.

At about 10:40 a.m. on October 14, the victim reportedly asked Washington to leave his property, and she allegedly became upset, picked up the board, and chased the victim down the street while waving the board at him and threatening to beat him with it. The victim said he was in fear of being hit with the board and injured, but he was able to get away and call 911.

Washington was arrested about two hours later in the 100 block of SE 5th Avenue.

A witness reportedly confirmed the victim’s account of the incident, and the victim reportedly showed the officer where the board was left on a nearby property.

Post Miranda, Washington reportedly said it was all a lie and said she had not chased the victim or threatened him with the board. She said that when asked to leave the property, she left the porch and sat on the chair in front of the building.

Washington, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace, has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She has one felony conviction (violent) and four misdemeanor convictions (two violent); in June, she was charged with threatening a woman with a metal pipe in the laundry room at GRACE Marketplace, but the charge was later dropped. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $50,000 and ordered a mental health evaluation.

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.