Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Berman Jose De Jesus Lozada, 36, was arrested yesterday after allegedly stealing a yellow Hummer and fleeing from an officer who reportedly saw him driving the Hummer, attempted a traffic stop, and chased him on foot through a Wawa parking lot.

At about 4:45 p.m. on December 1, a Gainesville Police Department officer reportedly saw De Jesus Lozada driving a stolen yellow and black Hummer on East University Avenue near SE 24th Street. The officer reported that the front driver’s side window was open, giving him a clear view of the driver; the officer reported that he knew a Hummer had recently been stolen in the area. The officer turned his patrol vehicle around to follow the Hummer, which reportedly began swerving in and out of traffic before the officer activated the lights on his patrol vehicle near NE 15th Street. The officer reported that the Hummer turned south onto SE 10th Street, and when the officer turned, he saw the Hummer stopped near SE 1st Avenue.

The officer reported that the driver’s side door opened and a man, later identified as De Jesus Lozada, got out and ran into the Wawa parking lot at 1007 E. University Avenue. De Jesus Lozada allegedly ran between vehicles at the gas pumps, with the officer pursuing him on foot through the parking lot.

The officer reported that the man was fumbling with his right pants pocket as he ran. The officer reportedly deployed his taser twice while De Jesus Lozada tried to rip out the probes while continuing to run. The officer reportedly caught up with the man on the north side of the parking lot and tackled him; De Jesus Lozada allegedly resisted being placed in handcuffs, and a second officer had to assist in handcuffing him.

A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a retractable box cutter in De Jesus Lozada’s right pants pocket.

Post Miranda, De Jesus Lozada reportedly denied stealing the Hummer and denied driving the Hummer; he said the driver looked like him and got out of the Hummer before he did but could not provide any further information about the driver. The officer noted that he could see the Hummer from the time the driver’s side door opened to the point where De Jesus Lozada got out of the Hummer, and nobody else was seen getting out of it.

De Jesus Lozada has been charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle, fleeing with lights and sirens active, and resisting an officer without violence. He has six felony convictions (two violent) and has served two state prison sentences out of Levy County, with his most recent release in January 2024. He is still on probation in that case. Judge Meshon Rawls ordered him held on $60,000 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.