Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Early Sunday morning, A’niaus Devaraus Ray, 33, from Jacksonville, was taken into custody for twice performing donuts in his vehicle within the 1000 block of W. University Avenue at around 2 a.m. The area was congested due to bar closures at that time.
A report from the Gainesville Police Department indicated that Ray was identified as the individual driving a car and performing “vehicle burnouts/donuts” on the roadway. This action is described as a rapid display of speeding combined with reduced vehicle control.
Officers allegedly observed Ray executing donuts twice in the same busy pedestrian location within a 20-minute frame. They recorded the first three characters of his license plate during the initial incident and noted that the plate on the car they stopped after the second incident displayed the same three characters.
Officers also noted that Ray’s car is distinctive because it is orange and has a large decal of a tiger that extends across the length of the vehicle.
Post Miranda, Ray reportedly denied doing burnouts/donuts or operating the vehicle in a reckless mannger.
Ray has been charged with two counts of racing on a public road, both misdemeanors. His address is listed as Lake City on the arrest report, but a court document indicates that he told Court Services he lives in Jacksonville. Ray has two felony convictions (two violent) and two misdemeanor convictions (one violent); he has served two state prison sentences, with his most recent release in June 2024. Judge Mitchell Bishop set bail at $1,000.
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.
