Staff Report
GAINESVILLE, Fla.—In a startling incident, John Frederick Benz, 58, was taken into custody early Friday morning. The arrest followed allegations of his disturbing behavior at the Baymont Inn, where he allegedly approached a woman’s room door stark naked.
The unusual episode unfolded just after dawn at approximately 5:14 a.m. on August 21. Sheriff’s deputies from Alachua County were dispatched to the Baymont Inn, located at 6901 NW 4th Blvd., after a distressing call reported a naked visitor at a guest’s door.
Upon arriving at the scene, deputies reportedly discovered Benz in the parking lot. He attempted to cover himself with a rag, yet remained completely unclothed. Allegedly, Benz claimed to have been locked out while disposing of trash, but the deputies observed that he had not reached out to the front desk for help concerning the lockout. Moreover, the distance from his room to the trash area seemed too great for him to expect to remain unseen.
The woman involved recounted the unsettling encounter, stating that Benz knocked on her door around 5 a.m., devoid of clothing, and proposed she visit his room. She alerted the hotel staff and retreated back to her room. On her route back, she noted that Benz was loitering in the breezeway, still entirely undressed.
Benz has been charged with disturbing the peace. He has no local criminal convictions; he was arrested in November 2024 for possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of Adderall and Xanax pills without a prescription, but that case can no longer be found in the court system. Judge Adam Lee set bail at $20,000 on the new charge.
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.