In a startling incident on New Year’s Eve in Gainesville, Florida, 34-year-old Alexander Neely Shepherd found himself in handcuffs following an alleged attempt to steal a car from a Lyft driver. The events unfolded at approximately 8:20 p.m. when the Gainesville Police Department was alerted to the situation by the distressed driver.

The driver recounted that he had been transporting Shepherd, another male passenger, and Shepherd’s dog from Jacksonville to Gainesville. The journey took an unexpected turn when his GPS directed him to make a right turn. Seated directly behind the driver, Shepherd allegedly reached forward, grabbing the headrest and insisting, “Keep driving.” Matters escalated as Shepherd purportedly yanked the driver’s hoodie back, prompting the driver to make a sudden stop and pull over to the side of the road.

Once the vehicle was stationary, both the driver and passengers exited the car. It was then that Shepherd allegedly grabbed the driver’s backpack, slipped into the driver’s seat, and attempted to make off with the vehicle. However, his escape was thwarted by the engaged emergency brake, rendering the car immobile. In the midst of the chaos, the driver managed to call 911.

Realizing the car couldn’t be moved, Shepherd reportedly discarded the backpack, retrieved his dog, and fled into a nearby wooded area. The situation called for the intervention of a K-9 team. Upon hearing the announcements from the K-9 officer urging him to surrender, Shepherd emerged from the woods, leading to his subsequent arrest.

The victim said he braked hard and pulled over, and he and the passengers got out of the car. Shepherd allegedly grabbed his backpack, got into the driver’s seat of the car, and tried to drive away, but he was unable to move the car because the emergency brake was activated. The victim called 911.

The victim called 911, and Shepherd reportedly threw his bag out of the car and grabbed his dog before running into a nearby wooded area. A K-9 team responded, and when Shepherd heard the announcements from the K-9 officer that he should come out, he came out of the woods.

Post Miranda, Shepherd reportedly did not want to say anything.

Shepherd, who is described as homeless on his arrest report, has been charged with unarmed attempted carjacking. His address is listed as California, and he has no criminal convictions but has an active warrant out of Georgia. Judge Adam Lee set bail at $150,000 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.