Staff report

ALACHUA, Fla. – Joshua Aaron Gilbert, 37, was arrested late last night and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon after allegedly chasing another man with a knife.

At about 8:10 p.m. on September 23, Gilbert was reportedly driving near the intersection of CR 235 and CR 239 in Alachua when he began arguing with one of the three passengers in his car; the victim reportedly said that the argument arose because he wouldn’t tell Gilbert where to buy marijuana. The victim said he asked Gilbert to stop the car and let him out, but Gilbert refused to stop.

Both the victim and one of the other passengers reported that the victim tried to get out of the vehicle while it was still moving, and Gilbert allegedly sped up. The victim reportedly reached around Gilbert and turned the wheel in an attempt to make Gilbert pull over; he said Gilbert slammed on the brakes, and he got out of the car. Gilbert allegedly chased him with a pocket knife, slashing at him several times. The victim said he used his belt in self-defense and hit Gilbert in the head with the buckle.

A passing driver told the responding Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy that he saw the end of the incident, with the victim running away from Gilbert and screaming for help; he reportedly helped the victim and called law enforcement. That witness also said that as Gilbert’s vehicle passed, Gilbert’s upper body was hanging out of the passenger side window, and he yelled, “I’m going to f***ing kill you” as the car sped away.

The witnesses in Gilbert’s car reportedly gave conflicting accounts.

According to a court document, Gilbert has been in Alachua County for about a week. He has a criminal history in Michigan ranging from 2003 to 2021 and has a pending domestic battery charge in Putnam County. Judge Meshon Rawls ordered him released on his own recognizance.

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.