Man on drug offender probation arrested for attempted burglary of occupied car in Newberry Road parking lot

BY JENNIFER CABRERA

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jadarius Juan Baker, 22, who is on drug offender probation after a June arrest on a charge of MDPV possession, was arrested yesterday morning after allegedly attempting to break into a car parked in a Newberry Road lot; a 16-year-old was in the car at the time.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a call from a parking lot in the 7400 block of Newberry Road at about 11:00 a.m. yesterday about an attempted burglary of a car. The victim, who was 16 years old, said he was sitting in his car getting ready for work and saw a man approach his vehicle on the passenger side and pull the door handle. The door did not open, and the man reportedly looked inside the car, saw the occupant, and walked away. The victim was on the phone with his parents at the time, and they called 911.

The victim positively identified Baker as the man who had attempted to enter his car.

Post Miranda, Baker reportedly admitted trying to open the car door but said he was famous and was doing it as a publicity stunt. When the deputy asked who was recording the stunt, Baker reportedly changed his story and said he thought he knew someone in the car but then realized he didn’t.

Baker has a juvenile history and an out-of-county criminal history and is a registered sexual offender. He has served a state prison sentence for failure to comply with sexual offender conditions. He is on drug offender probation from a local June 2022 arrest for MDPV possession and resisting arrest; he was also sentenced to 77 days in jail in that case, with credit for 77 days served. He has been charged with unarmed burglary and is being held on $20,000 bail.

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.