Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – William Turner Heath, 47, was arrested yesterday after a judge revoked his bond in a case dating back to February. According to the arrest motion, law enforcement officers were called to at least seven other reported incidents involving Heath while he was out on pre-trial release.
Heath’s February case began on February 7, when he was arrested on two counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition and two counts of simple battery. Authorities alleged at the time that he exposed himself to two juveniles and threw soda on them. Prosecutors initially asked the court to hold him without bond, but that request was later withdrawn. Judge Denise Ferrero then set bail at $60,000, and Heath was released from the Alachua County jail on February 14 after posting bond.
The case later changed course. On March 12, prosecutors dropped the lewd and lascivious exhibition counts and filed formal charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of battery.
Heath was arrested again on May 25, this time on a charge of driving with a suspended or revoked license. Judge Craig DeThomasis set his bail at $500, and Heath posted bond and was released from jail the same day.
Another case surfaced on July 25, when the Gainesville Police Department filed a sworn complaint accusing Heath of illegally dumping trash. The complaint states that Heath, apparently upset with neighbors for an unspecified reason, allegedly moved three trash cans, a large clothing rack, and a yellow caution cone into the roadway outside his home in the 1200 block of NW 30th Avenue, blocking one lane of traffic. An officer described the scene as a “trash dump in the middle of the road infested with maggots,” adding that it smelled like animal urine and contained empty food containers, broken glass, paint, and what appeared to be blood on some items. Police said medication bottles bearing Heath’s name were found among the debris, leading the officer to believe the trash had been placed there to stop neighbors from driving past the residence.
GPD called for a tow truck, which moved the debris back onto Heath’s property. Earlier that same day, an officer had spoken with Heath at his home, where Heath allegedly became angry and threw a glass bottle at the officer. While police were still investigating the trash left in the road, they received another call about someone pulling on door handles at a business. Officers identified that suspect as Heath, but he ran away and was not found, according to the motion. It does not appear that charges have been filed yet in connection with either of those incidents.
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On August 3, prosecutors filed a formal charge of littering on public property tied to the July 25 incident, though Heath has not yet been booked on that charge.
On August 4, a sworn complaint for battery on a firefighter was filed after a Gainesville Fire Rescue firefighter reported that Heath threw a rock, a rolling office chair, and a dry erase board at a passing fire truck at about noon; the objects did not damage the fire truck. When the firefighter rolled down his window to speak to Heath, Heath allegedly picked up a fire extinguisher and started running toward the fire truck while dispensing the contents of the fire extinguisher. The firefighter told the driver of the fire truck to accelerate, and he said the contents of the fire extinguisher would have hit him in the face if the driver had not accelerated. Heath left the area before officers arrived. Heath has not been booked on this charge, either.
At about 8 p.m. the same evening, officers responded to a call about Heath arguing with his neighbors; when they arrived, they reportedly found him lying down in the doorway of his residence, surrounded by blood. However, as the officers approached to provide assistance, Heath went inside and barricaded himself inside him home. Heath allegedly yelled at officers from inside the house, saying he did not want help, and officers heard a “clicking” sound and smelled gas fumes coming from within the house. Officers evacuated the property and also evacuated neighbors from their homes in case Heath planned to blow up his home. Officers eventually turned off the gas to Heath’s home.
An officer at that scene spoke to the firefighter, who said he had interacted with Heath three times that day, including the incident with the fire extinguisher, and provided videos. The firefighter also said that because of the large amount of trash blocking the road in front of Heath’s home, the fire truck has been forced to take a longer route from the station in that direction, which may have contributed to one cardiac arrest death.
On August 12, Heath was arrested for disorderly conduct after officers responded to a call at O’Brian Apartments (2901 NW 14th Street) and reportedly found Heath screaming loudly. Judge Susan Miller-Jones set bail at $5,000, and Heath posted bail on August 13 and was released from jail.
On August 18, the State Attorney’s Office asked the court to revoke Heath’s bond from the February arrest because he committed additional crimes while on pre-trial release; the motion states that Heath’s actions “indicate an inability to remain at liberty without violating additional laws while his case is pending.”
Heath was arrested on August 24 and is now being held without bail until trial.
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.
