Staff report

HAWTHORNE, Fla. – Michael Brian Chafin, 62, of Gainesville, was arrested Thursday and charged with battery on a Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) officer and six misdemeanors after allegedly camping on St. Johns Water Management District (SJWMD) property.

At about 3 p.m. on December 5, the FWC officer responded to a report of a vehicle that was illegally parked on SJWMD property near the Orange Creek Wildlife Restoration Area.

The officer reported finding Chafin sleeping in a tent on the SJWMD property. She told him he could not operate a motorized vehicle on the property and could not camp there without a permit.

While Chafin was packing up his belongings, he allegedly became noncompliant and opened his car door to get in. The officer reportedly tried to pull him away from the car, but he allegedly continued to pull away, and she reported that she tased him but it was “not effective.”

She reported that Chafin got in the car, so she reached in through the window to open the car door while Chafin grabbed, hit, and scratched her hands while trying to start the car and drive away. She reportedly opened the car door, removed Chafin from the vehicle, and handcuffed him.

Chafin has been charged with battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer without violence, lighting a fire on water district property, removing a pole at the gate to drive into the area, driving into the gated property, and parking and camping overnight on the property. The officer also charged him with littering exceeding 15 pounds because she told Chafin he could not leave any belongings behind, but when he was trying to drive away, he said he was leaving his remaining belongings and that they could be thrown away.

Chafin has one felony conviction (violent) and one misdemeanor conviction (non-violent) but has not had any local arrests since 2004. Judge Donna Keim set bail at $11,000.

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.