Man arrested for ramming ASO vehicles, punching K-9

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Matthew David Pigon Cornish, 23, was arrested early yesterday morning and charged with eight offenses after allegedly fleeing from deputies, ramming two Alachua County Sheriff’s Office cars, and punching a K-9.

A deputy saw a truck “accelerating, tailgating and weaving” past other cars in the 5800 block of SW Archer Road at about 2:30 a.m. Sunday morning; the deputy estimated that the truck was traveling at about 90 mph in a 45 mph zone. The driver of the truck was later identified as Cornish.

Two deputies tried to catch up to the truck and saw it turn into Arredondo Farms. Once inside the neighborhood, a deputy turned on his lights and sirens, but the truck reportedly continued driving at a high rate of speed through the neighborhood until it turned onto a road with a dead end. The deputies tried to use their cars to block the truck in the dead end, but Cornish reportedly accelerated and hit one of the patrol cars. As the other deputy tried to reposition his patrol car to block the truck, Cornish allegedly accelerated and also hit that patrol car. At least one patrol car was disabled by the damage.

Cornish allegedly continued to flee eastbound on SW 52nd Avenue but reportedly lost control of his vehicle and drove through the front yard of a house, damaging the front door, front windows, yard, and concrete pavers. The truck reportedly destroyed the pavers, with paver fragments showering the front of the house, causing over $2,000 in damage. Cornish allegedly continued to flee but crashed into a tree and rolled the truck, then fled on foot.

Deputies arrived on foot to help two female passengers in the truck, and after helping them get out of the vehicle, deputies reportedly collected a large bag of marijuana that weighed 352 grams and two small baggies containing 6.9 grams of cocaine. A deputy wrote that the packaging of the marijuana was consistent with street-level distribution.

Deputies continued searching for Cornish and located him in the 5300 block of SW 70th Terrace. After Cornish allegedly refused repeated commands to surrender, he was apprehended by a K-9. During the apprehension, Cornish allegedly hit the K-9 multiple times in his head and face with closed fists.

A search incident to arrest reportedly found a resin that tested positive for the properties of cannabis.

Cornish has been charged with aggravated fleeing with injury, aggravated assault on an officer, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, cocaine possession, possession of a synthetic drug, resisting arrest without violence, striking a K-9, and leaving the scene of a crash with damage. He is being held on $70,000 bail.

Cornish has two felony convictions and is on probation for marijuana possession. He was arrested in 2018 for possession of marijuana with intent to sell. He was re-arrested for violating pre-trial release conditions after being arrested on marijuana possession charges in Union County. In a plea deal, he was adjudicated guilty of possession of drug equipment, a misdemeanor, and adjudication of guilt was withheld on the two felony counts of marijuana possession. He was sentenced to 364 days in jail with credit for 135 days served and approved for work release. Adjudication of guilt was also withheld in a hit-and-run case from 2018.

Cornish paid a fine in May of 2022 for driving without a valid license; adjudication of guilt was also withheld in that case. He also has a sworn complaint that was filed in August, alleging that he hit his girlfriend’s car at a high rate of speed, crashing her car into a light pole and injuring her.

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.