Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Lacy Clifton Lindsay Jr., 72, was arrested Thursday afternoon after allegedly punching a police officer and another man behind the Headquarters Library.
At approximately 4:50 p.m. Nov. 6, a Gainesville Police Department officer encountered a male victim and two witnesses behind the Headquarters Library at 401 E. University Avenue. According to the officer’s report, Lindsay was shouting and swearing at the victim. The officer repeatedly instructed him to leave, but Lindsay allegedly refused.
One witness attempted to de-escalate the situation, while the other told the officer that Lindsay had punched the male victim in the face before police arrived. That witness later confirmed she saw Lindsay strike the man.
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The officer said Lindsay then swung at him, striking his arm as he raised it to block the blow. The officer brought Lindsay to the ground and held him there until additional officers arrived, then placed him in handcuffs.
Lindsay’s address is listed as St. Francis House. He faces charges of simple battery and battery on a law enforcement officer. His complete criminal history was unavailable because those records are not posted on weekends, although he has at least two felony convictions and one misdemeanor conviction. He was also booked on a local warrant for failing to appear at a hearing related to a June Notice to Appear for consuming alcohol in a city park. Judge Denise Ferrero set bail at $30,000 on the new charges, while bail on the warrant was set at $100.
Arrest reports from law enforcement agencies form the basis of these stories. The charges cited come from arrest reports and/or court records and represent accusations only. Every defendant is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
