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In a recent incident in Archer, Florida, a 22-year-old man from Micanopy, Dajuan Lee Myhand, found himself in legal trouble after a vehicle crash led to the unveiling of a car theft. Myhand was taken into custody following the discovery that the vehicle involved in the accident was stolen.
The sequence of events began shortly before noon on April 28, when deputies from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office responded to a crash site located in the 6700 block of SW 170th Street. The vehicle in question, a 2017 Kia Niro, had been reported stolen earlier that same day. According to the vehicle’s owner, the car had been stationed in her Micanopy driveway, and no one had been granted permission to use it. The owner mentioned that the key fob had been left in the glove compartment due to the car’s mechanical issues, which required it to be jump-started.
Once in custody and read his Miranda rights, Myhand allegedly claimed the car was given to him by an acquaintance. However, when pressed for details, he failed to provide contact information for this person. Myhand recounted that he met the individual either three years ago or a few months prior, sharing conflicting timelines. He stated they had spent the previous night at a bar in downtown Gainesville.
Myhand’s version of events included a late-night drive from the bar to the Lochloosa area around 3 a.m., claiming he remained there until 9 a.m. and was permitted by this acquaintance to drive the Kia using its key. However, this narrative was undermined by evidence from traffic cameras, which recorded the vehicle’s movements at 4:04 a.m., 5:46 a.m., and 6:06 a.m., challenging the accuracy of his story.
Myhand reportedly provided a timeline of events in which he and the man had driven to the Lochloosa area from the bar at about 3 a.m., and he did not leave that area until about 9 a.m. He said the man gave him permission to drive the Kia, and he started it with the key. However, the Kia was reportedly picked up by traffic cameras at 4:04 a.m., 5:46 a.m., and 6:06 a.m., contradicting his story.
The officer noted that the victim’s home is within walking distance of the address on Myhand’s driver’s license, and Myhand reportedly had a pair of cold-weather black gloves that he said he planned to use to fix a vehicle.
Myhand, who is designated as a violent felony offender of special concern, has been charged with grand theft of a motor vehicle. He has nine felony convictions (one violent) and is on probation following his 2023 release from prison after serving a 15-month sentence for armed burglary and eight counts of grand theft of a firearm. He also has an active warrant out of Marion County for grand theft of a vehicle, burglary, and tampering with evidence. Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $50,000.
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