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Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Derek Andrew Simpson, 24, was arrested yesterday and charged with seven felonies and five misdemeanors after allegedly battering his girlfriend, multiple neighbors, and multiple police officers.
Simpson and his girlfriend were at a pool party at Gainesville Place Apartments, 2800 SW 35th Place, where Simpson lives, when he allegedly became inebriated and began to “play fight” with her by punching her. She later told a Gainesville Police Department officer that the punches started getting harder and continued after she asked Simpson to stop. He eventually stopped after she threatened to leave, but then Simpson reportedly began yelling and causing a scene, which led to everyone being asked to leave the pool party.
Simpson’s girlfriend went back to Simpson’s apartment to get her belongings, and he reportedly kept yelling at her and shoving her. Meanwhile, he allegedly damaged his roommate’s door by kicking it, resulting in about $250 in damage, and verbally threatened his roommate. While Simpson was yelling at his roommate, his girlfriend left, but he followed her and allegedly kicked and destroyed a plastic fence on the stairwell (worth about $300).
Simpson’s girlfriend realized she forgot her shoes and went back into his apartment to get them, but then he allegedly wouldn’t let her leave; at one point, he allegedly threw her out into the hallway, and she began screaming for help.
Several neighbors responded to her call for help, and she was able to get away from the apartment complex. Simpson allegedly told one neighbor that he should not get involved; when the neighbor tried to hold Simpson back, Simpson allegedly punched him and then started slamming his chest against the neighbor’s chest.
A second neighbor intervened, and Simpson allegedly pushed him, but the second neighbor was able to get Simpson into a headlock. Simpson finally relaxed, and the neighbor released him, at which point Simpson reportedly ran back upstairs, screaming.
Simpson reportedly came back down the stairs and started yelling at everyone. He allegedly punched a hole in a window and tried to crawl through the window into the first neighbor’s bedroom, cutting himself.
When officers arrived, Simpson was reportedly bleeding heavily, and when an officer tried to detain him, he allegedly spit on the officer. Simpson was arrested and taken to the hospital because of the cut, and he allegedly spit on an EMS responder while being transported, but the EMS responder declined to press charges.
At the hospital, Simpson allegedly spit on the same officer, then threatened multiple officers, saying he would “kill” them and adding, “I got plenty of guns and I know how to use them.” He allegedly made gun shapes with his fingers while making a “bang” sound. He also allegedly spit on a second officer.
While at the hospital, Simpson was reportedly restrained with handcuffs and hospital bed restraints. He allegedly used his teeth to loosen the wrist restraints applied by hospital staff and tried to flee from the hospital before being apprehended again.
Simpson has been charged with burglary, false imprisonment, three counts of battery on an officer, escape, resisting an officer with violence, three counts of battery, and two counts of property damage under $200.
Simpson has no criminal convictions. Judge Thomas Jaworski set bail at $1,000 for each of the three counts of battery on an officer and released him on his own recognizance on all the other charges; Simpson must be fitted with a transdermal alcohol detector before 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.
