In a startling incident in Gainesville, Florida, a 34-year-old man named Alexander Neely Shepherd was taken into custody last night after reportedly attempting to commandeer a Lyft driver’s vehicle.

The incident unfolded on the evening of December 31, around 8:20 p.m., when a Gainesville Police Department officer was dispatched to assist a distressed Lyft driver. The driver recounted that he had been transporting Shepherd, another passenger, and Shepherd’s dog from Jacksonville to Gainesville. As they approached the destination, the GPS directed a right turn, prompting an unexpected response from Shepherd, who was seated directly behind the driver.

According to the driver’s account, Shepherd suddenly seized the driver’s headrest, issuing a terse command to “Keep driving.” He then allegedly escalated the situation by grabbing the driver’s hoodie and pulling it back forcefully. In response to this alarming behavior, the driver executed a hard brake and made an emergency stop. Both the driver and passengers exited the vehicle in the ensuing chaos.

Seizing the moment, Shepherd reportedly attempted to drive away with the car, having grabbed his backpack in the process. However, his getaway was thwarted by the activated emergency brake, which immobilized the vehicle. The driver swiftly called 911, leading to Shepherd’s arrest.

The victim said he braked hard and pulled over, and he and the passengers got out of the car. Shepherd allegedly grabbed his backpack, got into the driver’s seat of the car, and tried to drive away, but he was unable to move the car because the emergency brake was activated. The victim called 911.

The victim called 911, and Shepherd reportedly threw his bag out of the car and grabbed his dog before running into a nearby wooded area. A K-9 team responded, and when Shepherd heard the announcements from the K-9 officer that he should come out, he came out of the woods.

Post Miranda, Shepherd reportedly did not want to say anything.

Shepherd, who is described as homeless on his arrest report, has been charged with unarmed attempted carjacking. His address is listed as California, and he has no criminal convictions but has an active warrant out of Georgia. Judge Adam Lee set bail at $150,000 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.