Staff report

ALACHUA, Fla. – Anthony Bernard Washington, Jr., 41, was arrested yesterday after allegedly throwing a mailbox at a police car, damaging the hood and windshield.

At about 6:38 p.m. on May 24, Washington reportedly flagged down an Alachua Police Department officer in the 13800 block of NW 142nd Place; the officer reported that Washington was “extremely agitated with anyone and everyone” in his vicinity. The officer said he interviewed Washington “for a lengthy period of time” while Washington loudly argued with family members who tried to calm him down.

The officer reported that after his family left, Washington tried to throw a large roll of chain link fence on the hood of the officer’s patrol car; to protect his verhicle, the officer held onto the fencing while waiting for backup to arrive and told Washington to stop trying to damage the car.

Washington allegedly became agitated because the officer would not let go of the fencing, grabbed the box from a nearby mailbox, and threw the mailbox at the patrol car, damaging the hood and the windshield. When Washington moved to pick up the mailbox again, the officer reportedly deployed his taser and arrested him.

Washington has been charged with property damage over $200 and resisting an officer without violence. He has five felony convictions and two misdemeanor convictions, and Judge Luis Bustamante set bail at $7,500.

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.