Man on probation arrested for carjacking and domestic battery

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Lorenzo Joshua Johnson Jr., 22, was arrested on Sunday and charged with carjacking and domestic battery after he allegedly forcibly took a woman’s car, hit her, and choked her.

On Saturday afternoon, January 3, Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a panic alarm at an apartment complex on Tower Road, where witnesses said they had seen a physical fight between a man and a woman before both of them left in a car. Deputies reportedly found blood and damaged items near the victim’s apartment, and witnesses reported that the woman had been spitting blood from her mouth as she fled.

While deputies were investigating that incident, Gainesville Police Department responded to a report of a stolen vehicle at the Wawa on SW Archer Road; the stolen vehicle matched the description of the victim’s car, and the individuals involved matched the descriptions of the man and woman from the earlier incident, but officers reported that the car and the caller had left Wawa before they arrived.

Deputies learned that Johnson had allegedly punched the victim multiple times in the face before taking her keys from her and running to her car; the victim reportedly got into the car before Johnson drove away. Johnson allegedly choked the victim in the car, and the victim got out near the Wawa and called 911 to report that her car had been stolen. Johnson reportedly went back to get the victim and offered to let her drive if he would take her to a family member’s home, but she reportedly drove to a different residence, where Johnson got out of the vehicle and left the area on foot.

Deputies tried to find Johnson on Saturday, but they were not successful, and a warrant for his arrest was issued.

On Sunday, January 4, deputies located Johnson driving a white Toyota Camry northbound on I-75 near mile marker 384. Deputies conducted a high-risk traffic stop, and Johnson reportedly complied with their lawful commands and was arrested.

Johnson has been charged with unarmed carjacking, domestic battery by strangulation, and domestic battery with a prior battery conviction. He is a designated Violent Felony Offender of Special Concern who has six felony convictions (two violent) and one misdemeanor conviction (violent); he has served one four-year state prison sentence and was released in November 2025. He is on probation until November 2027 for two Alachua County cases.

Judge Meshon Rawls initially ordered him held without bail on the carjacking and strangulation charges, pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial, but the State Attorney’s office later notified a judge that they do not intend to seek pre-trial detention. Bail has not yet been set on those charges, but Judge Rawls set bail at $100,000 on the domestic battery charge.

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.