By Staff Writer

NEWBERRY, Fla. – Authorities have taken Phillip Demetrius Joseph, a 48-year-old resident of Newberry, into custody following allegations that he brandished a firearm at three utility workers.

The incident reportedly occurred around 5:22 p.m. on October 14 in the 2900 block of SW 298th Street. According to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a call about a disturbance involving a weapon. The three workers, employed by a telecommunications company, claimed they were servicing telephone poles when Joseph and his wife approached them. Joseph allegedly accused the workers of being involved in drug-related activities.

The workers, who were tasked with maintaining utility poles on both sides of the road, decided to relocate to the poles across the street in an attempt to distance themselves from Joseph. However, Joseph reportedly continued to hurl accusations, repeatedly labeling them as drug dealers. The victims recounted that Joseph drew a gun from a holster on his waist and aimed it at each of them individually.

The workers expressed fear for their lives, with two of them reporting that the weapon was pointed directly at their faces from a distance of less than ten feet.

Deputies reported finding the loaded firearm on Joseph’s person, and they found a second loaded magazine on the ground where the victims said he was standing during the incident.

Post Miranda, Joseph, who lives near the incident location, reportedly admitted to confronting the victims and demanding identification. He said he followed them across the road and pulled his handgun when he felt the first victim had “crossed beyond where he needed to be working.” He said he aimed the gun at the ground and told the first victim not to go toward his house; he reportedly admitted to waving the gun around while talking and said he could potentially have pointed the gun at the victims.

Joseph has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. He has no criminal history, and 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; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing.

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.