Woman on pre-trial release arrested for threatening to stab another woman

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Chelsea Maranda Whigham, 19, of Newberry, was arrested yesterday in Gainesville after allegedly threatening to stab another woman.

According to a responding Gainesville Police Department officer, the victim and Whigham are not related in any way, and they were visiting people in different apartments in an undisclosed apartment complex at the time of the incident.

At about 7:48 p.m. on August 12, Whigham and the victim got into a verbal argument, and Whigham allegedly went into her friend’s apartment, came out holding a kitchen knife, and walked toward the victim while saying, “I’m going to stab you,” multiple times.

Whigham allegedly yelled repeatedly at the victim using expletives, and the victim told an officer that Whigham was holding the knife above her head in a stabbing motion. The victim said Whigham chased her for about 20 yards until she retreated into a family member’s apartment; Whigham left the area before officers arrived.

When an officer contacted Whigham by phone, she reportedly said, “Yes, I had a knife. I’m not going to lie.”

A witness reportedly told an officer that Whigham had a knife in her hand while actively “chasing” the victim and threatening to stab her.

Post Miranda, Whigham reportedly admitted to going into an apartment and grabbing a kitchen knife, then walking outside and yelling, “I’m going to stab you” at the victim multiple times; she admitted to walking toward the victim and threatening to batter the victim.

Whigham has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. She has a juvenile conviction from 2024, and she is out on bond after an arrest for felony battery in Leon County in April. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $50,000.

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.