Staff report

HAWTHORNE, Fla. – In a dramatic turn of events, 46-year-old Norman Israel Colon from Interlachen was apprehended yesterday on charges that span vehicle theft, armed robbery, battery, and drug possession. Colon, currently on probation, has also been identified as a fugitive by the Florida Department of Corrections.

The incident unfolded when a woman visited a Hawthorne residence on March 20 to pick up her father. Upon her arrival, she encountered Colon, her former boyfriend, who allegedly emerged from the house and forcefully demanded her car keys. The vehicle, purchased by the victim in January, is registered solely in her name, as confirmed by the Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy.

Reports indicate that Colon allegedly brandished a pistol during the confrontation, threatening to shoot anyone who interfered. A bystander, described as an unidentified Black male, intervened, urging Colon to put the gun away. Complying, Colon reportedly placed the weapon in a nearby parked vehicle but persisted in demanding the keys.

Escalating the situation, Colon allegedly offered $100 to an unidentified woman to physically assault the victim for the keys. As tension mounted, both Colon and the woman allegedly approached the victim, with Colon allegedly shoving her to the ground. Fearing for her safety, the victim surrendered her keys.

The victim later provided the deputy with screenshots of threatening messages from Colon, where he warned her against contacting the police, stating he would kill her if she did.

Colon allegedly removed the license plate from the victim’s car and replaced it with a different tag.

Deputies later reportedly found Colon sitting in the front driver’s seat of the victim’s vehicle, and he was arrested on charges related to this incident, as well as a VOP warrant out of Putnam County and another warrant out of Pennsylvania.

Deputies reportedly saw drugs and needles in plain view in the vehicle, and a probable cause search of the vehicle produced 15.34 grams of methamphetamine, 15.22 grams of cocaine, 37 suboxone strips, two Percocet pills, and two suboxone pills, along with a large quantity of a white substance that is suspected of being a cutting agent and empty plastic baggies. A Glock pistol matching the description provided by the victim was reportedly found in the trunk.

Colon has been charged with armed robbery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, felony battery, display of a firearm during the commission of a felony, grand theft of a motor vehicle, trafficking in methamphetamines, possession of cocaine with intent to sell, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, possession of drug equipment, and criminal solicitation. His full criminal history is unavailable, but he has at least two felony convictions out of Pennsylvania, has served one state prison sentence in Florida (released in 2022), and is currently on drug offender probation out of Putnam County. Judge Sheree Lancaster ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s Office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing.

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.