Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jerel Ramirez, 38, of High Springs, was arrested yesterday and charged with driving under the influence, aggravated battery, and aggravated stalking after allegedly ramming a woman’s vehicle on East University Avenue and then following her and ramming her again at high speed when she stopped at a stop light.

The victim told the responding Gainesville Police Department officer that she was driving home from work at about 7:37 p.m. when she saw a white Kia Optima following her. As she was turning east from SE 11th Street onto E. University Avenue, she said, the Kia drove up on her left and intentionally rammed her.

In fear for her life, the victim accelerated on E. University Avenue and turned south onto SE 20th Street, but the Kia continued to follow her. She took more turns to elude the Kia, but it continued to follow her. She turned back onto E. University Avenue, encountered a red light at NE 25th Street, and slowed, but the Kia hit her from the rear at high speed, pushing her car into oncoming traffic; her car hit a light pole, knocking it down completely.

During this time, several 911 calls were received about a white vehicle aggressively chasing a black vehicle (the victim’s vehicle).

A witness told an officer that she saw the victim’s car slowing down as she approached the red light and saw the white car hit the victim’s vehicle so hard that it pushed the car into oncoming traffic and into a light pole.

A second witness said he saw a man sleeping behind the wheel of the Kia in the bike lane, just west of the intersection of SE 9th Street and SE 7th Avenue. He said he pulled over to call 911, and while he was on the phone, he saw the Kia start driving at a high rate of speed on SE 7th Avenue before crashing into the curb at the roundabout. He said the Kia drove away and crashed into a black vehicle, but then he lost sight of the Kia because it was traveling at a high rate of speed.

Officers made contact with Ramirez, the driver of the Kia, and reported that he was visibly intoxicated. He reportedly refused to speak with officers and said he wanted his attorney.

Officers learned that Ramirez’s license is suspended and he is a habitual traffic offender. He has previous DUI convictions from 2020 and 2022.

Ramirez was transported to a hospital, where he allegedly refused to provide consent for a blood draw. Hospital staff reportedly told an officer that Ramirez’s blood alcohol concentration was 0.358, four times the legal limit.

Ramirez has been charged with aggravated battery, aggravated stalking, DUI, and driving with a suspended license as a habitual traffic offender, all felonies. He has one felony conviction (non-violent) and six misdemeanor convictions (all traffic offenses). Judge Susan Miller-Jones ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial.

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.