Compiled by Staff

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A 24-year-old man from Cleveland, Ohio, named Peter Gabriel Dominguez, was taken into custody following accusations of shoplifting two carts full of groceries from a Walmart. Dominguez reportedly resorted to stealing a second cart after the first one was taken before he could sell its contents. He is also accused of striking a police officer, seizing the officer’s radio, and providing false identification details.

An officer from the Gainesville Police Department documented that Dominguez initially nabbed a cart brimming with groceries from the Walmart located at 5700 NW 23rd Street around 10:41 a.m. on November 11. He allegedly returned at 12:58 p.m. to take another cart valued at $256.75. These actions were reportedly observed and recorded by a Walmart Loss Prevention Officer.

The authorities identified Dominguez, wearing the same clothes as seen in Walmart’s surveillance footage, walking in the shopping center at 6250 NW 23rd Street. He was then detained concerning the second shoplifting incident.

After being read his Miranda rights, Dominguez allegedly provided the officer with a false name and date of birth, claiming he hadn’t visited Walmart. However, when confronted with the video evidence, he admitted to being there but maintained he didn’t steal anything.

The officer found a driver’s license under the name and date of birth that Dominguez had provided, but the picture did not look like Dominguez. When the officer asked Dominguez for his real name, Dominguez reportedly said it was his real name and “police always mistake him for that person.” He reportedly said he did not have an ID on him.

When the officer tried to arrest Dominguez, he reportedly backed up and tried to run; he fell on the ground, then got back up while the officer told him to get back on the ground. Dominguez allegedly grabbed the officer’s vest and tried to pull equipment off the vest; he allegedly grabbed the officer’s radio and ripped it free, tearing the pouch and the straps holding it in place. Dominguez allegedly ripped the officer’s lapel radio from his vest, depriving the officer of access to communications.

The officer reportedly told Dominguez he would be Tased if he continued resisting, and after Dominguez allegedly fled again, the officer successfully deployed his Taser and placed Dominguez in handcuffs.

Once Dominguez was in handcuffs, he reportedly said he had something in his pocket that didn’t belong to him. A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a small pipe, and Dominguez reportedly said it was used to smoke crack cocaine, but he wasn’t the last one to use it. His true identity was discovered after a search of his wallet.

A store owner in the shopping center reportedly witnessed the entire incident and corroborated the officer’s account.

On the way to the jail, Dominguez reportedly admitted to both shoplifting incidents; he said he had tried to sell the stolen items in the Pineridge area, but the items were taken from him, so he returned for a second time to get more items to sell. He also reportedly admitted to using a fake name, which he said was his brother’s identity.

Dominguez, who told officials he has been in Florida for about two months, has been charged with battery on a police officer, depriving an officer of the means of communication, resisting an officer with violence, providing a false identity to a law enforcement officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, and two counts of theft. He has no criminal history, and Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $145,000 and ordered a mental health evaluation.

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.