Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Joshua Frederick Dejong, 31, was arrested early this morning and charged with three counts of battery, property damage over $1,000, and resisting an officer after allegedly scratching a car and attacking three people in a downtown parking lot.

At about 12:35 a.m., Gainesville Police Department officers responded to a call at 220 W. University Avenue, where the victims reportedly said they were next to a car belonging to one of the victims in a parking lot when one of the victims heard Dejong say, “Do you want to get sticked?” The victim said Dejong walked to the driver’s side of the vehicle and used a hand tool to leave an eight-foot-long scratch on the side of the vehicle.

The car’s owner asked Dejong what he was doing, and Dejong allegedly pushed her in the chest. A second victim also asked Dejong what he was doing, and Dejong allegedly grabbed his shirt and punched and scratched him multiple times. The responding officer reported that the victim’s shirt was clearly stretched out and that he had an eight-inch scratch and bruise on his abdomen.

A third victim said she pulled Dejong and the second victim apart and tried to calm Dejong down, but he touched her inappropriately.

As three officers questioned Dejong, he allegedly ran but was captured and arrested.

Dejong reportedly refused to let the officers read him his Miranda rights but said he didn’t do anything.

The damage to the car was estimated at $2,000.

Dejong, whose address is listed as GRACE Marketplace, had his first interaction with local law enforcement in June 2023, when a sworn complaint was filed alleging that he confronted customers at PDQ and “harassed” the occupants of vehicles in the area of the restaurant; witnesses told officers that he appeared to be “on something.” He was also cited for driving an unregistered vehicle and driving without a valid driver’s license. He was detained and evaluated under the Marchman Act.

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In July, formal charges of driving an unregistered vehicle and driving without a valid license were filed.

On August 1, a sworn complaint was filed after he allegedly sat in the driver’s seat of a vehicle belonging to a stranger in the area of 2900 SW 42nd Street. That charge was dropped on October 20.

On August 4, he was arrested for simple battery against security guards at Main St. Billiards Bar. He was released on $4,000 bail, and the charges were dropped on September 20.

On August 14, a sworn complaint was filed alleging that he trespassed after being asked to leave by management at the Extended Stay Hotel. A formal charge was filed in that case on September 11, and Dejong was arrested on a warrant on September 20. He entered a plea of nolo contendere at his first appearance before Judge Thomas Jaworski and was sentenced to one day in jail with credit for one day served. He still owes $326 in fines and fees in that case.

On September 7, he entered a plea of nolo contendere to the charges from the June incident at PDQ; adjudication of guilt was withheld, and he still owes fines and fees of $276.

On October 8, a sworn complaint was filed after he allegedly stole a drink from the Wawa on NW 13th Street; the report states that he was detained in handcuffs, but he was not arrested.

Dejong has an unspecified out-of-state criminal history between 2011 and 2023. As of August 5, he had a pending notice to appear in Sumter County for possession of drug paraphernalia and driving without a valid license and an active warrant out of Georgia.

Dejong is being held on $45,000 bail.

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.