Staff Article

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In the early hours today, 21-year-old Ivette Carolina Castillo was taken into custody on suspicion of breaking into an occupied car and assaulting the driver amid a street brawl in Midtown. Additionally, four other individuals were detained for various misdemeanors linked to the altercation.

Officers from the Gainesville Police Department were called to the scene around 2:42 a.m. on October 18, responding to reports of a street fight on the 200 block of NW 10th Street. According to the victim, she was seated in her vehicle when Castillo allegedly knocked on the window, damaged the door handle, and entered the car. Once inside, Castillo is accused of repeatedly striking the victim in the face.

The responding officer noted the victim had visible facial injuries.

Castillo reportedly claimed that the victim approached her vehicle and knocked on the window first, leading her to exit her car and engage in a confrontation with the victim.

After being read her rights, Castillo allegedly explained that the victim approached while she was engaged in a separate altercation, grabbing her by the hair and pulling her into the victim’s vehicle. She refuted the claims of breaking the door handle or entering the vehicle but conceded to having a physical fight with the victim.

Izabella Noemi Castillo, 22; Lucretia R. Coleman, 27; Malcolm Thomas Glaeser, 25; and Keyshla Valentin, 24, were also arrested for misdemeanors related to the fight and were released on their own recognizance.

Ivette Castillo is also facing a sworn complaint for battery and property damage for allegedly punching a man while he was sitting in his car and then damaging his fuel door, rearview mirror, and window tint on October 7. She has not been booked on that charge.

Ivette Castillo has no local criminal convictions. Judge James Colaw ordered her held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold her 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.