Staff report

WALDO, Fla. – Daven Cole Garner, 26, and Jalon Ezekiel Williams, 21, were arrested late last night after crashing a stolen car and then allegedly stealing a second vehicle, slamming that vehicle into an occupied K-9 patrol vehicle, crashing it into a tree, and fleeing from officers into swampy terrain, where they were apprehended by an Alachua County Sheriff’s Office K-9 team.

At about 10:25 p.m. last night, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a call from a business owner in Waldo who said he was watching Williams break into his business on his security camera. Williams allegedly broke in through a window and walked through the business until he found the keys to a Toyota Forerunner that was parked outside the business. Williams and Garner allegedly drove away in the Forerunner.

A K-9 Deputy in the area saw the Forerunner in the 15200 block of U.S. Hwy 301, next to a wrecked Cadillac sedan; he reported that two men were transferring items from the sedan to the Forerunner. The deputy put on his emergency lights, and Williams, who was driving the Forerunner, allegedly put the vehicle in reverse and slammed it into the patrol car, throwing the deputy and the K-9 around inside the cab of the patrol vehicle.

Williams then allegedly drove away through thick underbrush before crashing into a tree, at which point both suspects fled on foot. They were apprehended after a K-9 track through the swampy terrain.

After the apprehension, deputies determined that the Cadillac had been stolen in Polk County and its tag had been stolen in Largo.

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Post Miranda, Garner declined to answer any questions.

Post Miranda, Williams reportedly admitted removing a window air conditioner from the business, then breaking in and stealing the key to the Forerunner and the Forerunner itself. He also reportedly admitted that he knew the Cadillac and its tag were stolen.

Garner, who is described as homeless in court documents, has been charged with two counts of grand theft of a motor vehicle, theft of the tag, and resisting an officer. He has no local criminal history but served a state prison sentence on six felony charges out of Bay County and was released in 2020. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $60,000.

Williams, who is described as homeless in court documents, has been charged with two counts of grand theft of a motor vehicle, two counts of theft, burglary, aggravated battery on an officer, using a deadly weapon against a K-9, fleeing with lights and sirens active, and resisting an officer. He has no local criminal history; Judge Miller-Jones set bail at $315,000.

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.