Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Schnecia Lavett Batie, 47, was arrested yesterday and charged with aggravated assault after allegedly threatening McDonald’s employees with a knife.

At about 3:26 p.m. on October 30, Gainesville Police Department officers responded to McDonald’s (1030 E. University Avenue), where the victim reportedly said Batie had become angry with staff inside the restaurant. The victim, who was sitting in the dining room, said he was trying to break up the argument when Batie pulled a knife out of her pants and waved it around, saying things like, “I’m going to kill you.” The victim said he grabbed her and she threatened to stab him, so he let her go.

The victim said that Batie left after that but returned a few minutes later and began arguing with staff again, becoming more and more agitated. Batie allegedly pulled a knife from her pants again, the victim again tried to intervene, and Batie again threatened to stab the victim.

Batie was arrested in January for disorderly conduct after exposing herself to multiple people and then walking up and down the road, cursing and screaming; she entered a plea of nolo contendere to the charge and was fined $323, but she had not made any payments as of July, resulting in a past due notice and action against her driver’s license. In February, she was arrested for battery and domestic aggravated assault after allegedly threatening a family member with scissors that were originally described by the family member as a knife; she reportedly told the arresting officer that she always carries scissors on her person for protection. Charges in that case were dropped in March.

Batie has one felony conviction (violent) and 11 misdemeanor convictions (two violent). Judge Meshon Rawls 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.