Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Francesco Nicholas Mazzotta, 36, was arrested last night and charged with hit and run of a parked car, driving under the influence, and failing to obey an officer.

Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the area of Newberry Road and Tower Road, where a citizen was following a silver SUV after calling 911 to report that the SUV was driving on the wrong side of the road, hit a median, and stopped in the middle of the road. The citizen followed the SUV into the parking lot of the Home Depot on NW 4th Boulevard.

While deputies were responding, the SUV reportedly struck a parked car in front of Pizza Hut and continued driving through the parking lot. A deputy attempted a traffic stop, but Mazzotta reportedly kept driving and only stopped after hitting an embankment in the parking lot.

Deputies reported that Mazzotta showed signs of impairment, including a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath. The SUV had damage to the front and rear bumper, and the entire front windshield was caved inward.

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Mazzotta reportedly performed poorly on field sobriety exercises and provided breath samples of 0.219, 0.196, and 0.232 g/210L.

Post Miranda, Mazzotta reportedly said he did not know he had hit anything but admitted to consuming approximately seven Natty Daddy “tall boys.”

Mazzotta entered a plea of nolo contendere in July 2022 to a charge of indecent exposure of sexual organs and successfully completed 12 months of probation on August 2, 2023. He is also currently facing a sworn complaint for making harassing phone calls on July 28.

Bail information is unavailable because courts are closed today.

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.