BY JENNIFER CABRERA
ALACHUA, Fla. – Joshua Jamal DeLeon, 34, of Decatur, Georgia, was arrested early this morning after allegedly attacking an FDOT Road Ranger on the interstate. He was also charged with resisting arrest with violence and cocaine possession after allegedly kicking multiple officers.
An Alachua Police Department (APD) officer responded to a call at about 1:27 a.m. about an FDOT Road Ranger being physically attacked at the 398 mile marker of I-75. The officer reported that the victim had left the scene prior to his arrival and that he found DeLeon standing in the ditch, out of breath. As he tried to place DeLeon in handcuffs, DeLeon allegedly pulled away, but the officer was able to handcuff him.
The officer reported that as he began to question DeLeon, DeLeon began acting erratically and pulling away. During a struggle, DeLeon allegedly kicked the APD officer and Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies who had also responded. After he was placed on the ground, DeLeon allegedly continued to kick officers and deputies. The officers cuffed his ankles and put him in a patrol car, but DeLeon allegedly tried to kick out the back window of the patrol car, so he was forcefully removed from the car and again tried to kick officers. He was again taken to the ground, then placed in a rip hobble and placed in the back of the patrol vehicle.
A search of his car reportedly produced baggies of crack cocaine and powdered cocaine.
A Florida Highway Patrol Trooper interviewed the Road Ranger, who said he saw an SUV on the shoulder of I-75 that was potentially disabled, so he pulled over to assist. He said he saw two men in a physical altercation next to the SUV, and DeLeon ran toward him and grabbed his arm. The Road Ranger said he pushed DeLeon away, but DeLeon grabbed his arm again, so he pushed him away again. The victim said that DeLeon kept saying that something was going on and everything was not as it seemed. The victim said he did not feel safe, so he got back in his vehicle and left. No further information was provided about the second in the Road Ranger’s account.
DeLeon has three misdemeanor convictions (none violent); Judge Thomas Jaworski set bail at $6,000.
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.
