Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Kendrick Sherwin McCray, Jr., 26, was arrested early yesterday morning on two warrants after allegedly fleeing from a deputy at high speed in a stolen car.

At about 2:30 a.m. on October 28, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy was patrolling near the intersection of Williston Road and SE 16th Avenue when a car sped by in the other direction, changing lanes rapidly to weave through traffic. The deputy turned around to follow the car, which continued traveling at high speed. At one point, a bystander signaled to the deputy that the car had turned onto Main Street; the deputy turned and saw the car still weaving in and out of traffic at high speed. The deputy reported that the driver attempted to turn into Arbor Park but was moving too fast to negotiate the turn and traveled over the curb and sidewalk before crashing into the property’s metal fence.

The deputy reported that the driver got out immediately and surrendered, saying he was completely at fault and that the passenger had nothing to do with any crimes. The deputy also reported that the driver, who was identified as McCray, said the vehicle belonged to “his people.” The deputy asked if the vehicle was stolen, and McCray reportedly said it was not.

However, when the deputy called the tag in, it came back as having been stolen the previous day.

Post Miranda, McCray reportedly said he was driving fast before he saw the deputy going the other way and that he knew the deputy was trying to stop him. He said his passenger was telling him to slow down and he didn’t know why he was driving that fast. He reportedly said he was ready to go to jail because he has two active warrants and has had them for some time. He said the vehicle belongs to his aunt, and he got it that morning. When the deputy asked who gave him the keys, he reportedly said, “Someone sent them to me.”

The passenger reportedly confirmed that McCray had been driving recklessly before he saw the deputy; she said she had been pleading with McCray to slow down and stop.

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The owner of the vehicle reportedly said she knows McCray and that he came to her home on Friday and asked for cold medicine. She said she had previously tried to help McCray when he was “having issues,” but his behavior became worse and she asked him to move out. She said her purse, with the car keys inside, was on the counter when McCray was at her house, and when she reported that the car had been stolen, she didn’t realize that the keys were also gone.

McCray has been charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle and fleeing and eluding at high speeds with wanton disregard for the public.

McCray was last arrested in July for domestic battery, but those charges have been dropped. Before that, he was arrested in April for aggravated battery and child abuse; those charges were also dropped. The warrants are for two cases, both in August: one involves domestic battery and property damage charges, and the other involves aggravated domestic battery on a pregnant woman, robbery, and petit theft.

McCray has a juvenile criminal history and one adult misdemeanor conviction (violent). Charges have been dropped in 13 cases since 2019, including burglary, aggravated battery, battery, child abuse, property damage, robbery, drug possession, driving without a valid license, and extortion.

Bail is set at $104,000 on the three cases.

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.