Man arrested after allegedly following and threatening multiple police officers
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Joshua Garrett Forbes, 34, was arrested early yesterday morning and charged with three counts of aggravated stalking and one count of possession of a weapon during the commission of a felony after allegedly following multiple police officers in his car and threatening to “take out someone with a badge.”
Gainesville Police Department officers first made contact with Forbes at about 2:25 a.m. on Monday morning when they reportedly saw him standing by his car at 1208 E. University Avenue, yelling and punching the car. Officers learned that he was having trouble with the transmission of the car, but Forbes reportedly became upset while they were speaking with them and declined further help, so they left to defuse the situation.
Officers then began conducting a security check at 1221 E. University Avenue and reported that Forbes repeatedly drove back and forth past them on E. University Avenue, slowing to look directly at officers each time he passed; when the officers were done and getting ready to leave, Forbes reportedly drove into the parking lot and followed a patrol car as it left the business.
The patrol car drove westbound on E. University Avenue, with Forbes following; the officer made several turns to evade Forbes.
Forbes later passed a second patrol car and reportedly made a quick U-turn to follow that car; the officer was also able to evade Forbes after making several quick turns.
At about 2:45 a.m., Forbes began following a third patrol car in the 600 block of W. University Avenue while the officer was returning home after his shift. He turned onto SW 13th Street and saw a car approaching from the rear at a high rate of speed. Forbes allegedly tailgated the patrol car, which turned onto SW Archer Road. The officer reportedly gave Forbes multiple opportunities to pass him, but Forbes allegedly continued to follow the car closely. As the cars approached a red light, Forbes allegedly drove so close to the patrol car that the officer believed he would be hit.
Around the 3500 block of SW Archer Road, the officer began actively trying to get behind Forbes’ car to pull him over, but Forbes allegedly kept changing lanes and making U-turns to stay behind the patrol car. A few blocks later, the officer accelerated through a yellow light and then made a U-turn because he didn’t want to lead Forbes to his home.
When the officer and Forbes encountered another marked patrol car, Forbes reportedly moved into another lane and signaled a right turn on SW 34th Street. The two officers conducted a traffic stop, and Forbes allegedly ignored multiple commands to show his hands, making furtive movements near his waistline. When Forbes was removed from the car, officers reportedly saw a 6-inch fixed curved blade knife where he had been sitting. A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a sheath in his waistband that matched the knife, and a search of the car reportedly produced a K-Bar-style knife about 10 inches long and an expandable baton that was within reach of the driver’s seat.
Forbes reportedly stated spontaneously that he’d had problems earlier with an officer, and he was hoping the officer in the car he was following was the same officer.
Post Miranda, Forbes reportedly said he wanted to confront the officer he’d had a problem with and wanted to “take out someone with a badge.” He said he didn’t know the name of the officer he was upset with. When he was asked about the knife, he reportedly said he had it ready, but he would not say what he was ready for.
While in handcuffs, Forbes allegedly made repeated threats to physically harm officers.
Forbes has seven misdemeanor convictions (five violent). Judge Walter Green set bail at $200,000.
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.
Silly Wabbit, knives don’t work well in a gun fight. What an idiot.
Looks like the only transmission not working were those gears in his head.
Mechanic can’t fix that.
Spark plugs definitely not firing for all cylinders and by the looks of things, one of his headlights was almost taken out. I’m pretty confident a front end alignment could make some of the problems go away but a little lubricant may help with a rough ride.
I think the jail may have an auto repair class.
Lock up this thug and throw away the key.
Dude You Chose Chose GPD!
You obviously had previous knowledge of what would happen had you chose to harass and follow ACSO deputies.
Here allow me to put it mildly for you homeboy,
It would have been worse then a scratch on the cheek homey. 💪
Nice to see that the cops touched this guy up a little bit. Like good ol Trump used to say, let’s no go too easy on these guys!
Antifa scum, no doubt. Officers should have provoked him and knocked him off.
He got a neck tattoo…glad he got that so he can be positively identified more easily.
looks like he fu##ed around and found out the po po dont mess around
Wonder what he did to anger Judge Green?
Exactly! Judge Green rarely sets high bail, even when evil guns are involved!! Hhmmm I wonder….
He’s also a domestic violence repeater and child neglect so, truly there should not even be a bail for him. He deserves this and looks for issues every time he drinks.
I take it you know this outstanding citizen?
Nosferatu ears and bringing a knife to a gunfight. Only thing that really surprises me is there is no mention of meth in this article. You mean this guy was in his (term used loosely) right mind?! Play stupid games, win stupid prizes. 🤷♀️🤦♀️
Somebody needs to check Walter Green for a fever- quick!
They were right to do this..he actually shouldn’t even have bail with the about of trauma and trouble he brings to everyone around him. Everyone who knows him has nothing kind to say.
Jail. Can’t imagine anyone would bail him out, even on $20 bond. Miserable jackals makes everyone around him miserable. Sit tight, Josh.
Multiple time domestic violence repeater and has never been sound of mind. Doesn’t even pay any of the child support for any of his kids, not even the 36$ a month one. He’s a shameful individual and beats women
I have seen him beat the mother of his kid when the baby was a newborn while she covered her and took the beating in order to protect her child back in 2020. He doesn’t deserve bail and I pray the judge sees all of this.
He’s been a wreck for as long as I can remember, and I rarely hung with him personally, but we did run around in the same social circles. As far as I know he isn’t Antifa, and he’s most definitely not a thug. He served in the United States Army roughly around the same time period as myself. He’s been plagued with declining mental health for a loooooong time, maybe this will finally be the first step towards getting some assistance with that.
I feel you on that Dave. I grew up with him. He was never this guy. I know back in the early 2010’s he got into some kind of vehicular accident and had some pretty serious head/brain injury. He seemed to be on a general decline since then. He needs professional mental health help/intervention.
Not true, he did get a hit and run but it wasn’t to the extent he sold the story to be. I’ve read his hospital report and took him to the Dr’s none of that is on his records just another lie.
The hit and run, was him crashing into a street sign, no other vehicle involved….. bury him under the jail! No one that has been directly affected by him and his bull will ever miss him.
Good luck in the big house! Can’t wait for someone to own you, sure hope your hideous beard tickles your new daddy