Man charged with three counts of aggravated battery after allegedly driving into the path of another car on purpose

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Frank Ian Whitenack, 40, was arrested on Friday on a warrant for three counts of aggravated battery after allegedly pulling into the path of another car on purpose.

According to a Gainesville Police Department officer’s investigation, Whitenack’s girlfriend was a passenger in his car on July 11 when he got upset with his girlfriend for cutting him off from her WiFi hotspot. He reportedly stopped in a left turn lane, which caused traffic to back up behind them. His girlfriend reportedly asked him to drive, but he refused and allegedly said, “I will kill you,” then intentionally pulled out into passing traffic, hitting a vehicle that was driving in the travel lane.

The car in the travel lane reportedly hit the passenger side door of Whitenack’s vehicle, causing his girlfriend to hit her head on the window and sustain other minor injuries.

The other vehicle was significantly damaged, and a baby who was a passenger in that vehicle was transported to the hospital.

When an officer contacted Whitenack, Whitenack reportedly said, “I turned into traffic.” Post Miranda, he reportedly gave no reason for doing that but said they had argued about the WiFi hotspot.

Whitenack was arrested on drug charges in 2008 and successfully completed drug court diversion; he was convicted of a misdemeanor stalking charge in 2010. Judge Tatum Davis set bail at $75,000, the amount recommended by Judge Luis Bustamante in the warrant he signed for Whitenack’s arrest.

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.