Newberry man arrested after women report that a man assaulted them and tried to break into their car on UF campus

Staff report

Updated on April 20 with additional information from the first appearance hearing.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Andrew Jonathan Heise, 19, of Newberry, was arrested early this morning after a mother and daughter reported that a drunk man had assaulted them and was trying to break into their car on the UF campus.

At about 12:15 a.m. on April 19, University of Florida Police officers responded to the area of 125 Buckman Drive, near Fletcher Hall, after a mother and daughter reported that a white male was trying to get into their vehicle and they had to keep fighting him off.

Officers immediately detained Heise and then interviewed the victims.

The first victim said she was dropping her daughter off when an unknown man started yelling obscenities at them and then ran toward their vehicle and pulled on the door handles. A passerby reportedly pulled the man away, but the man broke away from the passerby and ran back toward the vehicle and the victims, who both said they were in fear for their safety.

The first victim said she hit the man once in self-defense, but he tried again to get into their vehicle, trying to open doors on both sides of the vehicle. The first victim said she believed the man was trying to steal the vehicle.

The second victim reportedly corroborated the first victim’s story and said she was in fear for her safety when the man charged her and her mother.

An officer reported that surveillance video corroborated the victims’ accounts of the incident, and the video reportedly shows Heise being restrained multiple times but making his way back to the victims every time.

Post Miranda, Heise reportedly said he didn’t remember anything about the incident. An officer reported that he appeared to be very intoxicated and smelled strongly of alcohol. Heise reportedly admitted that he had been drinking.

Heise has been charged with two counts of assault, attempted burglary of a vehicle, and disorderly intoxication. He is a UF student who currently lives on campus, and he has no criminal history. Judge Denise Ferrero ordered him released on his own recognizance with a curfew between 7 p.m. and 7 a.m. except for work and school.

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.