Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Eric Rohan Palmer, 38, was arrested yesterday after allegedly holding a gun to a woman’s head and taking her phone to prevent her from calling 911.

At about 5:50 p.m. on July 31, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to Reflections Apartments (205 SW 75th Street), where the victim said Palmer hit her and then pulled out a gun; she said he held her down and pointed the gun at the back of her head, putting her in fear for her life.

The victim was on the phone at the time, and the other person on the call reportedly heard the victim say Palmer had a gun to her head. Palmer allegedly took the victim’s phone and ended the call, preventing her from calling 911.

The victim described the gun, and a gun matching the description was reportedly found in Palmer’s possession when he was arrested in Alachua at about 6:42 p.m.

Palmer has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic battery, and obstructing justice. He has two misdemeanor convictions (one violent); he was arrested in September 2024 for domestic battery on a different victim, but that case cannot be found in the Alachua County court records. Judge George Wright ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing.

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.