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Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A 60-year-old man from Interlachen, identified as Jeffrey James Smith, was taken into custody yesterday following an incident where he allegedly forced his way onto a bus, confronted the driver aggressively, and refused to leave.
The incident occurred around 3:30 p.m. on March 12. A Gainesville Police Department officer was dispatched to the scene at a Walmart located at 5700 NW 23rd St., where the bus in question, operated by “The Ride Solution,” was parked.
According to the bus driver, Smith allegedly pried open the closed bus doors with his hands to board the vehicle despite being informed he was not permitted to enter. Once on board, he reportedly began shouting at the driver, threatening her with repeated claims that he would “beat her [expletive].”
Fearing for their safety, the driver immediately contacted 911 and remained on the line until police arrived. The unsettling situation prompted other passengers to disembark the bus to avoid confrontation with Smith.
The officer reported that when he arrived, Smith was still screaming at the bus driver and refused to get off the bus. The officer told him to get off the bus, but he allegedly refused; the officer told him that if he continued to refuse, he would be arrested, but Smith allegedly stayed on the bus, and the officer reported that he had to physically place Smith in handcuffs and pull him off the bus. Smith allegedly continued screaming at the bus driver and the passengers while he was being arrested and searched.
A witness reportedly corroborated the driver’s story.
Smith has been charged with disorderly conduct, making a threat of bodily harm, trespassing after a warning, and resisting an officer without violence. He has one felony conviction (non-violent) and 12 misdemeanor convictions (four violent) and has an unspecified criminal history in other states from 1989 to 2025. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $11,000 and ordered a mental health evaluation.
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.