Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Avery Tyrone Godbolt, 37, was arrested yesterday after allegedly threatening a deputy with a knife, setting a fire in his girlfriend’s apartment, and causing over $9,000 in damage inside the apartment.

At about 4:05 p.m. on February 18, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a call about property damage in the Haystacks neighborhood.

The deputy reported that he knocked on the door with no answer, but a few minutes later, Godbolt’s girlfriend, who had reported the property damage, arrived and said Godbolt was inside. She called Godbolt, and the call was answered, but nobody spoke; the deputy took the phone and told the person on the other end that he just needed to speak with him.

Godbolt reportedly came outside and started removing items from the apartment. The deputy again said he needed to speak with him and also noted that Godbolt kept placing his hand on his waistband. The deputy told him to stop reaching, and Godbolt allegedly pulled a green pocket knife from his waistband and said he was not going back to prison and deputies would have to shoot him.

Godbolt allegedly continued to make threats and sporadically advanced toward the deputy, who reportedly pointed his firearm at Godbolt and told him to get on the ground. Godbolt initially refused to drop the knife but then dropped it briefly before allegedly grabbing it again. Additional deputies arrived, and Godbolt was hit with a less lethal weapon before allegedly running back inside the apartment and barricading himself.

Deputies walked to the rear of the apartment and reportedly saw that Godbolt had picked up a large kitchen knife. After some time had passed with no response from inside the residence, deputies saw that a fire had been started inside the residence. Godbolt eventually came outside and was taken into custody at about 7 p.m.

The deputy reported that the damage to the residence, which included holes in the walls, broken furniture, and a broken window, was estimated at $9,700.

Post Miranda, Godbolt reportedly said all of the damage to the apartment happened during a physical fight between him and his girlfriend.

Godbolt has been charged with second-degree arson, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, resisting an officer with violence, and property damage over $1,000. Godbolt is a designated Career Offender with juvenile convictions between 2000 and 2004, six adult felony convictions (five violent), and 12 adult misdemeanor convictions (one violent); he has served five prison sentences, with his most recent release on January 23, 2025. He is currently on probation for felony battery. Judge Kristine Van Vorst 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.