Man on probation arrested for fleeing from officers after leaving the scene of a crash

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Dennis Paul Cole, 20, was arrested yesterday after allegedly leaving the scene of a crash, driving on an expired learner’s permit, and fleeing from officers; he was also listed as a fugitive from Gilchrist County.

At about 1 p.m. on May 21, Gainesville Police Department officers responded to a crash in the 3700 block of SW Archer Road and reported that the driver had fled on foot. A passenger in Cole’s vehicle reportedly confirmed that Cole was driving at the time of the crash and said he had left the scene.

Officers pursued Cole on foot, and he allegedly resisted commands from a police officer and continued to flee. Cole was reportedly on the phone with his passenger and told her that he saw police officers looking for him.

Cole reportedly admitted that he was driving the vehicle and that he hit the other vehicle because he was not paying attention; he said he had a learner’s permit and has never been issued a driver’s license, and he was aware that the learner’s permit was suspended when he was incarcerated.

The officer reported that his learner’s permit was suspended indefinitely in 2024.

Cole has been charged with resisting an officer without violence, leaving the scene of a crash with property damage, and driving without a valid license. He is a designated high-risk sexual offender with one violent felony conviction and one non-violent misdemeanor conviction, along with juvenile convictions between 2019 and 2024. He is on probation out of Gilchrist County and is listed as a fugitive on the Florida Department of Corrections website. He has served one state prison sentence and was released in July 2025.

Judge Bo Bayer ordered him held without bail until a “dangerous to the community” hearing is held under the Jessica Lunsford Act.

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.