Pair arrested on drug and gun charges after traffic stop

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Terrell Deon Gibson, 31, and Fabian Bashawn Jennings, 30, were arrested early this morning after Gibson allegedly fled with a gun from a traffic stop in the City Hall parking lot and drugs were found in Jennings’ car.

At about 12:43 a.m. this morning, a Gainesville Police Department officer initiated a traffic stop on a car reportedly driven by Jennings at 300 E. University Avenue. The car turned north on NE 1st Street and then into the City Hall parking lot, and then it drove around the parking lot in circles at a very slow rate of speed until traffic blocked the car’s path and it was forced to stop.

The officer reported that he had a clear view of the driver’s face every time the car made a left turn; when the car stopped, the driver reportedly jumped to the passenger seat, and the front seat passenger jumped into the driver’s seat. When the officer made contact with Jennings, Jennings reportedly said the passenger had been driving the whole time, but the officer reported that he had seen Jennings driving.

The officer reported that he could smell marijuana coming from the interior of the car and could see a hand-rolled marijuana cigarette in the cup holder. The officer reported that while he was waiting for backup, Gibson, who was sitting in the back seat, jumped out of the car and ran away with a pistol in his hand.

The officer detained Jennings and the front seat passenger; a probable cause search of the car reportedly produced nine baggies of marijuana with a total weight of 42.0 grams.

Meanwhile, Gibson reportedly ran into University Club, where he made contact with an unknown male who fled the area. When officers made contact with Gibson, he had changed shirts and no longer had the gun.

Several officers searched the area, but they did not find the gun. When an officer asked Gibson why he ran, Gibson reportedly said, “The weed.” Gibson denied having a gun.

A search of Gibson reportedly produced about 1 gram of marijuana in his pocket.

Post Miranda, Jennings reportedly said the marijuana belonged to him and was for his personal use; when the officer said that was a very large amount for personal use and pointed out that it was packaged for sale, Jennings reportedly said they were going to a party. He later changed his story and said they were going home.

Jennings is a habitual traffic offender whose driver’s license has been suspended several times, and he is currently on drug offender probation.

Gibson has been charged with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, tampering with evidence, and resisting an officer without violence. He has two felony convictions (both violent) and one misdemeanor conviction (none violent); he has served one state prison sentence for aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and was released in 2019.

Jennings has been charged with driving without a valid license as a habitual traffic offender and possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell. He has eight felony convictions (none violent) and seven misdemeanor convictions (none violent); he has served one state prison sentence for possessing and selling drugs and was released in January 2023; he is currently on drug offender probation in that case.

Bail information is unavailable on weekends.

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.