Pair arrested for attacking woman at Santa Fe Oaks

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Nyaja Denise Craig, 27, and A’jayiah Shi-ann Lofton, 22, were arrested yesterday for allegedly attacking a woman during an argument at Santa Fe Oaks Apartments.

At about 1:40 p.m. on March 22, Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to Santa Fe Oaks Apartments (8008 Northwest 31st Avenue), where the victim said Lofton had tried to stab her and tase her and Craig had burglarized her vehicle and damaged the interior.

A deputy reported that Craig, Lofton, and the victim were involved in an argument involving multiple parties while the victim was sitting in her car, with the driver’s door closed and the window up. Lofton allegedly stated repeatedly, “I’m going to stab you,” and then tried to open the driver’s side door by pulling on the handle and hit the driver’s side window multiple times with the knife, causing visible damage to the window.

Lofton allegedly moved to the passenger side of the vehicle, where the door was open, and then displayed a taser, arced it multiple times, and said she was going to use it against the victim.

Meanwhile, Craig allegedly entered the vehicle through the open front passenger door, leaned across the interior, and broke multiple items inside the vehicle in an attempt to prevent a passenger from getting out of the car. Craig allegedly removed the wiper switch, leaving exposed internal wiring, and tore the rearview mirror from the windshield.

Craig reportedly stated spontaneously that she broke the items because the victim and the passenger were trying to push her out of the vehicle, and she refused to get out.

Post Miranda, Lofton reportedly admitted to arcing the taser at the victim but initially denied possessing a knife; she later said she picked the knife up after somebody else dropped it, and she pointed it at the victim in an attempt to stop the argument. However, the deputy reported that a photo taken before the incident showed both the taser and the knife in the small of Lofton’s back, indicating that she had both items before the incident began. The deputy also noted that the damage on the driver’s side window was consistent with the use of a knife in a threatening manner, not solely to deescalate the situation.

Craig has been charged with burglary of an occupied vehicle. She has one misdemeanor conviction (non-violent); she also has a Notice to Appear on a battery charge and is facing a sworn complaint for depositing a fraudulent check. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $5,000.

Lofton has been charged with simple assault and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She has no criminal convictions, but she has a history of dropped battery charges. Judge Rawls set bail at $5,000.

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.