Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Duane Edward Camidge, 56, was arrested yesterday and charged with attempted robbery after allegedly telling a man at a bus stop to give him what he had in his pockets.

At about 2 p.m. on October 27, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a bus stop at Walmart (5700 NW 23rd Street), where the victim said he had been sitting at the bus stop when Camidge asked him to give him what he had in his pockets. The victim said he refused and got up to leave, and Camidge pushed him and began to grab at his pockets; he said he was able to swat Camidge’s hands away.

A witness reportedly told the officer that she was loading groceries into her car when she heard an argument at the bus stop and saw Camidge shove the victim and then grab at his pockets. She said she called law enforcement and waited for an officer to arrive because she was worried about what might happen to the victim if she left. She said she heard Camidge tell the victim to give him what he had in his pockets. She also said she heard Camidge say that the victim kicked his dog, but she did not see the victim kicking or trying to kick the dog.

Post Miranda, Camidge reportedly said the victim was “talking a bunch of nonsense,” so he asked him to leave the area. He said the victim got up and tried to kick his dog, so he got up and shoved the victim down before sitting back down at the bus stop and waiting for law enforcement to arrive.

The officer reported that the victim did not know Camidge before the incident.

Camidge, who is described as homeless in court documents, has two felony convictions (non-violent) and five misdemeanor convictions (one violent). He has a pending misdemeanor case in Marion County for dangerous use of the public right-of-way. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $25,000, but the State Attorney’s Office has filed notice that they intend to file for pre-trial detention, meaning that Camidge would be held without bail until trial if a judge rules in favor of the motion.

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.