Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Demetria Lavan Dinkens, 41, was arrested late last night and charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after allegedly stabbing a man.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a report of a stabbing at about 11:39 p.m. on November 2 and reported that he found a man inside an apartment bleeding from his head and a woman outside with blood on her shirt. The woman reportedly had a knife that did not appear to be bloody, and she was detained for questioning. The location of the apartment was redacted in the arrest report.

The deputy reported that the victim was losing consciousness and said he did not know who stabbed him but described her as a black woman wearing a black shirt; the victim reportedly lost consciousness and was transported to a local hospital.

Post Miranda, Dinkens reportedly said she and the victim had argued and he punched her, so she grabbed a metal paint scraper in self-defense. She said the victim held her to the ground by the throat while she continued to try to stab and cut him with the metal paint scraper.

The deputy reported that a metal paint scraper was found at the scene without any blood on it.

A witness in the apartment reportedly said that Dinkens and the victim were arguing when Dinkens grabbed a metal paint scraper and pliers and attacked the victim; the witness said she tried to stab the victim with those items and made contact several times. Other people in the apartment reportedly held Dinkens back while the victim left the apartment and walked downstairs to the parking lot. However, when he tried to go back up to the apartment, the witness said, Dinkens threw a glass bottle at him and hit him. Dinkens and the victim fought at the top of the stairs, and the witness said Dinkens had a knife in her hand and cut the victim on his head, leaving a cut about three inches long.

Dinkens has a conviction for domestic battery in Baker County. Judge Mitchell Bishop ordered her held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold her without bail until trial.

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.