Keystone Heights man arrested for pointing gun at 7 people at Lake Alto Boat Ramp

Staff report

WALDO, Fla. – Teddy Joseph Stanze, 27, of Keystone Heights, was arrested yesterday for allegedly pointing a gun at seven people on a boat at the Lake Alto Boat Ramp.

At about 7:20 p.m. on June 26, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a call about an armed disturbance at the Lake Alito Boat Ramp and saw two men fighting; he reported that Stanze shoved another man, and he detained Stanze and asked everyone else to sit on the grass. The victims told him the firearm was back in its holster in Stanze’s utility vehicle.

An adult male victim said he knew Stanze and had ridden with Stanze earlier in the day in his utility vehicle; he said he had seen the pistol at that time, but he was not concerned because they were friendly with each other; he said, however, that Stanze started drinking and became angry because a woman he had been flirting with had left the park.

An adult female victim, who was on a boat, reportedly said Stanze should just leave in his utility vehicle, and Stanze reportedly tried to board the boat. Another adult female victim put out her hand to stop him, but Stanze allegedly slapped her hand away and kept boarding.

The adult male victim stood up and pulled out a folding knife, opened it, and told Stanze he would cut him if he tried to board the boat.

Stanze allegedly told one of his children to get his gun from the utility vehicle, and when the juvenile brought the gun, Stanze removed it from its holster and allegedly aimed it toward the seven people on the boat, saying he would “blow their heads off,” before placing the gun back in its holster and setting it down.

After Stanze calmed down, the adult male victim returned the pistol to him, hoping he would leave, but when Stanze noticed an adult female victim calling 911, he allegedly charged at her. The adult male victim ran after Stanze, they both assumed fighting stances, and Stanze allegedly tried to punch the adult male victim, but a witness stepped between them.

The witness told the deputy that he did not see the entire incident, but the parts he saw matched the account of the adult male victim.

Post Miranda, Stanze was reportedly vague and hard to follow, but he admitted to getting into an argument with the adult male victim. He said he never got on the boat, and he wasn’t afraid of the adult male victim or his knife. He said he never touched any of the victims and said he picked up his gun but did not remove it from the holster.

The deputy arrested Stanze and charged him with seven counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, assault, battery, and contributing to the delinquency of a minor. He has no local criminal history. Judge Joy Danne set bail at $120,000.

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.