Staff Report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Andrea Lavon Watson, aged 45, found herself in police custody yesterday after allegedly hurling bricks at a neighbor during a heated exchange that involved an altercation with a garden hose.
Shortly before 6 p.m. on October 16, officers from the Gainesville Police Department were dispatched to North Lincoln Heights following reports of a dispute. The altercation stemmed from a fire that Watson had ignited in her backyard. The neighbor, concerned about potential damage, resorted to using a hose to soak her own yard. During this encounter, Watson reportedly claimed she was sprayed with water, a fact corroborated by the officer who observed her wet clothing upon arrival.
According to reports, Watson requested her neighbor to cease the spraying. When her pleas were ignored, she allegedly grabbed a brick or rock and launched it at her neighbor. The first attempt missed, but a second brick reportedly struck the neighbor’s hand, causing a minor cut. The officer noted a stack of bricks in Watson’s yard that resembled the ones retrieved from the neighbor’s property.
After being read her Miranda rights, Watson reportedly confessed to throwing two bricks and mentioned that she had picked up a third but refrained from using it once the spraying stopped.
A witness on the scene confirmed seeing the neighbor spray Watson with water, followed by Watson’s attempts to retaliate with bricks, the second of which successfully hit the neighbor.
The officer noted that due to the size of the brick, “one could believe that it could cause great bodily harm when thrown.”
Watson has been charged with aggravated battery causing bodily harm. She has two misdemeanor convictions (non-violent). Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $50,000 and prohibited her from returning to her home.
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.
