Report by Staff
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A 24-year-old man named Fredrick Tyrone Perryman Jr. found himself in handcuffs yesterday following an alleged attempt to evade law enforcement officers. The chase ended dramatically when deputies say Perryman rammed a patrol car as they tried to apprehend him on outstanding warrants from two different counties.
Events unfolded around 2:15 p.m. on June 5, when deputies from the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office received information that Perryman’s vehicle was located in the 3500 block of SW 34th Street. Authorities were on the lookout for him due to warrants issued in both Volusia and Polk counties.
The deputies trailed Perryman’s vehicle into an apartment complex situated in the 700 block of SW 34th Street. A deputy, who was already stationed in the parking lot, maneuvered his marked patrol car to block Perryman’s path after he had driven about 180 feet into the area. With lights flashing and sirens blaring, the officer signaled Perryman to halt.
However, instead of stopping, Perryman allegedly locked eyes with the deputy’s vehicle and sped in reverse through the parking lot. He then re-entered SW 34th Street, where another deputy had strategically positioned an unmarked vehicle behind him to prevent further escape attempts.
According to reports, Perryman paused momentarily, glanced at the unmarked car, and then deliberately crashed his Mercedes SUV into the deputy’s vehicle. The deputy, fearing for his safety due to the Mercedes’s size and speed, as well as Perryman’s apparent intention, reported feeling endangered by the encounter.
Perryman allegedly accelerated forward after hitting the unmarked vehicle, but he was boxed in by a patrol vehicle in front of his SUV and was unable to flee.
Additional deputies arrived and parked their vehicles around the SUV; Perryman reportedly got out of the SUV, was identified by his Florida ID card, and was arrested.
An inventory search of the SUV reportedly produced about 67 grams of marijuana, multiple sandwich-style bags, and an electronic scale.
In addition to being booked on the two active warrants, Perryman has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, fleeing with lights and sirens active, possession of marijuana with intent to sell, driving without a valid license (second or subsequent offense), and possession of drug paraphernalia. His full criminal history is unavailable, but at the time of his last local arrest, he had juvenile convictions for armed home invasion robbery, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, and fleeing from an incident; a few months after that arrest, he was convicted of fleeing without regard for the safety of others and felony property damage in Marion County and sentenced to three years in prison. He was released in December 2024.
The Volusia County warrant is for fleeing with disregard for the safety of others, resisting an officer without violence, possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, possession of a controlled substance with intent to sell, tampering with evidence, driving without a valid license, possession of more than 20 grams of marijuana, and possession of drug paraphernalia.
The Polk County warrant is for possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana and possession of drug equipment.
Judge Julie Johnson set bail at $195,000 on the new charges.
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.
