Report by Staff

Updated at 4 p.m. on January 2 to include bail details.

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities have apprehended Justin Will Croft, 33, following allegations that he ignited fires at two homeless camps, sparking a significant brush fire along Newberry Road.

On January 1, Alachua County Fire Rescue was dispatched to a blaze at a homeless site in the wooded area near the 7700 block of West Newberry Road. On arrival, they received reports from other camp residents who suspected Croft of deliberately starting the fire. Witnesses described several individuals fleeing the scene, though deputies were initially unable to track down Croft or the others involved.

Later that day, Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to a second blaze in the 8000 block of West Newberry Road. In the woods, they encountered a witness who claimed to have observed Croft setting an earlier fire at the encampment. A few hours later, the same witness alleged that Croft ignited another fire at a different camp while a resident was present. Additionally, it was reported that Croft was in possession of a stolen firearm.

At about 7:20 p.m., the deputy went to the second encampment and spoke with firefighters, who said that active burning on bare ground indicated the use of accelerants and meant that the fire had been intentionally set. The resident of that encampment reportedly said Croft had set her encampment on fire and that Croft had previously threatened her, saying he would “burn her place down” after they argued about the earlier fire at the first encampment.

The deputy went to Newberry Road to watch for people coming out of the woods while other deputies searched the woods, and at about 8:30 p.m., he saw three people walking out of the woods on the north side of Newberry Road. He recognized Croft from previous interactions and detained all three people.

Poe Miranda, Croft denied starting any fires but could not explain how they started. He said he was not armed, and no firearm was found during a search.

One of the other people with Croft said he did not know whether Croft had set the fires at the homeless encampments, but he said Croft had burned down an abandoned house near Napolatano’s in September.

The two people who were with Croft at the time of his arrest were released.

Croft has been charged with two counts of first-degree arson. He has one felony conviction for grand theft of a motor vehicle, following a 2022 arrest for carjacking. After entering a plea of nolo contendere to grand theft of a motor vehicle, Croft was sentenced to two years of probation, but after two arrests for violating probation, he was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days in the Alachua County Jail and was released on April 26, 2025. Judge Adam Lee ordered him held without bail on the new charges, 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.