Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities detained Peter Gabriel Dominguez, 24, from Cleveland, Ohio, on charges of allegedly taking off with two shopping carts filled with groceries from a Walmart store. The first cart vanished before he could sell its goods; in addition, he reportedly assaulted a police officer, seized the officer’s radio, and misrepresented his identity.
According to a report from the Gainesville Police Department, Dominguez initially stole a cart brimming with groceries (value undisclosed) from the Walmart located at 5700 NW 23rd Street around 10:41 a.m. on November 11. He then revisited the store at approximately 12:58 p.m., making off with another cart laden with groceries valued at $256.75. Both thefts were reportedly observed and documented by a Walmart Loss Prevention Officer.
A police officer later identified Dominguez, who matched the description of the individual seen in Walmart’s surveillance footage, walking near the shopping center at 6250 NW 23rd Street. The officer approached him and informed him that he was being detained for the second theft incident.
After being read his Miranda rights, Dominguez allegedly provided the officer with a false name and birth date, adamantly denying any presence at Walmart. Confronted with video evidence, he conceded to visiting the store but persisted in denying any theft.
The officer discovered a driver’s license under the alias Dominguez offered, yet the photograph did not resemble him. When pressed for his true identity, Dominguez insisted the name was correct, claiming “police always mistake him for that person.” He also declared he did not carry any identification on him.
When the officer tried to arrest Dominguez, he reportedly backed up and tried to run; he fell on the ground, then got back up while the officer told him to get back on the ground. Dominguez allegedly grabbed the officer’s vest and tried to pull equipment off the vest; he allegedly grabbed the officer’s radio and ripped it free, tearing the pouch and the straps holding it in place. Dominguez allegedly ripped the officer’s lapel radio from his vest, depriving the officer of access to communications.
The officer reportedly told Dominguez he would be Tased if he continued resisting, and after Dominguez allegedly fled again, the officer successfully deployed his Taser and placed Dominguez in handcuffs.
Once Dominguez was in handcuffs, he reportedly said he had something in his pocket that didn’t belong to him. A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a small pipe, and Dominguez reportedly said it was used to smoke crack cocaine, but he wasn’t the last one to use it. His true identity was discovered after a search of his wallet.
A store owner in the shopping center reportedly witnessed the entire incident and corroborated the officer’s account.
On the way to the jail, Dominguez reportedly admitted to both shoplifting incidents; he said he had tried to sell the stolen items in the Pineridge area, but the items were taken from him, so he returned for a second time to get more items to sell. He also reportedly admitted to using a fake name, which he said was his brother’s identity.
Dominguez, who told officials he has been in Florida for about two months, has been charged with battery on a police officer, depriving an officer of the means of communication, resisting an officer with violence, providing a false identity to a law enforcement officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, and two counts of theft. He has no criminal history, and Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $145,000 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.
