Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Shaquille Kevon Simmons, 30, was arrested early this morning after allegedly hitting a pedestrian with his car at the intersection of University Avenue and Main Street, then fleeing from officers until he ran a stop sign and totaled a car on NE 15th Street. He was also arrested on domestic battery charges from a June 10 incident.

At about 11:20 p.m. last night, a woman was struck by a vehicle in the crosswalk at the intersection of University Avenue and Main Street, resulting in life-threatening injuries. She was transported to a local hospital, and a Gainesville Police Department (GPD) spokesman said today that she is currently in stable condition.

The vehicle, a silver sedan, reportedly fled northbound on Main Street, and a GPD officer saw it traveling northbound on NE 2nd Street at a high rate of speed. The officer made a U-turn and followed the vehicle as it turned east on NE 23rd Avenue, south on NE 9th Street, and east on NE 19th Place.

The officer turned on his lights and sirens and attempted a traffic stop, but the vehicle reportedly accelerated away, passing several safe spots to pull over. The officer reported that the vehicle ran the stop sign at NE 19th Place and NE 15th Street and hit another vehicle, totaling both vehicles.

The driver, later identified as Simmons, allegedly got out of his vehicle, ran away on NE 19th Lane, and tried to run into the woods before he was apprehended. Simmons allegedly resisted being handcuffed and repeatedly placed his hands under his body, even after the officer used his taser.

A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a plastic bag containing about 5 grams of marijuana and a digital scale. A search of Simmons’ vehicle reportedly produced additional baggies of marijuana containing about 25 grams. The arrest officer noted that the individually-packaged bags, the amount, and the scale “are all used for narcotics sales and not just usage.”

Post Miranda, Simmons reportedly declined to answer questions. However, the officer reported that he spontaneously admitted that the second crash happened because he was fleeing from the officer.

Simmons allegedly refused to provide his name and was identified by his fingerprints at the jail. A check of his driver’s license showed that it has been suspended several times since 2017.

Simmons was also booked for a domestic violence incident on June 10. According to the arrest report, he allegedly punched the victim in the face three times, said he would kill her, snatched her phone when she tried to call 911, and threw it down, damaging the phone.

Simmons has been charged with hit and run with property damage, obstructing justice by hindering communication with law enforcement, robbery (of the phone), possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, aggravated fleeing with property damage, property damage (the phone), domestic battery, resisting an officer without violence, and driving with a suspended license. Additional charges for the initial hit-and-run are still pending.

Simmons has four felony convictions (one violent) and six misdemeanor convictions (one violent). He has served one prison sentence and was released in July 2023. He is on pre-trial release following a February 2024 arrest for driving without a valid driver’s license. Judge Kristine Van Vorst set bail at $215,000 with conditions including a prohibition on possession of drugs or alcohol, a prohibition on possession of weapons or firearms, and a requirement that a GPS be fitted before his release.

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.