Man arrested for burning downtown bartender with a cigarette

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jonathan David Shumen, 34, was arrested early this morning and charged with felony battery, possession of a controlled substance, and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana after allegedly burning the face of a bartender with a lit cigarette.

A Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a downtown bar at about 1:30 a.m. after the victim called 911 and reported that Shumen was disturbing her customers. She said Shumen would cause a disturbance, run away, then come back and cause another disturbance. She told the officer that she tried to chase him away, but he placed a lit cigarette in her face, causing a burn near her eye.

Shumen was located in the area and placed in handcuffs, but he reportedly said he didn’t know anything about the incidents at the bar. Post Miranda, he continued to say that he could not recall being in any disturbances, but he reportedly said he’s always involved in disturbances.

A search incident to arrest reportedly produced about 1.1 grams of “Mollies Reagent MDPV” and about 0.61 grams of marijuana.

Shumen has a previous battery charge, leading to a charge in this case as a repeat offender.

Shumen has three felony convictions and 13 misdemeanor convictions (two violent). He has two pending sworn complaints for trespassing. Judge Thomas Jaworski set bail at $62,000.

Updated at 7:30 p.m. after the victim clarified that she is a bartender, not the property owner, as the arrest affidavit stated.

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.