Gainesville man charged with accelerating car toward woman

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Alexander Cornelius West, 33, was arrested early this morning and charged with aggravated assault after allegedly accelerating his car toward a woman.

A Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a call about a disturbance that occurred around midnight last night; the victim reportedly said she was standing on the side of a road when West, a passenger in a car that drove by, told her to get away from the road. She said she and West exchanged heated words because they have a “history of disturbances.” West then went to his house.

A witness told the officer that West left a short time later, driving the same vehicle and alone in the car. As he was backing out of the complex, he reportedly stopped to engage in a physical fight with an unknown male, and when West stepped away from the fight, he put the car in reverse and allegedly nearly hit the victim.

A short time after that, West reportedly returned to the area in his vehicle and stopped in front of the victim, where he allegedly accelerated toward her and nearly hit her. He then parked his car at his residence and went inside.

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While the officer was interviewing a witness at about 1:00 a.m., West reportedly left his home, and the officer detained him.

Post Miranda, West denied being involved in any disturbances. When the officer asked about fresh abrasions and lacerations, West reportedly said he was injured in a fall at a different location. He reportedly denied driving the vehicle and said that he does not drive because he does not have a license.

West has six felony convictions (four violent) and seven misdemeanor convictions (two violent). He has served five prison sentences, with his most recent release in August 2022. Bail information is unavailable on weekends.

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.