Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – David Zovon Smith, 45, was arrested yesterday after police said he threw a shard of glass at a woman who had approached him in an effort to offer assistance because he is homeless.
The woman told a responding Gainesville Police Department officer that around 8:30 a.m. on July 9, she noticed Smith behind her property and tried to speak with him about getting help. She said she had known Smith for several months.
According to the victim, Smith became highly agitated during the conversation. She said she attempted to calm him, but he threw a glass jar onto the ground, causing it to shatter in the roadway. She reported that Smith then picked up a piece of the broken glass and threw it at her, striking her in the chest and leaving a small abrasion. Smith reportedly left the area and was arrested the following morning.
Smith is charged with aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. Court records list 13 prior felony convictions, including six classified as violent, and 10 misdemeanor convictions, including one violent offense. He has served four state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2024. On July 1, 2026, he was sentenced to one year of probation after entering a plea of nolo contendere to trespassing after a warning. Judge Donna Keim set his bail at $100,000.
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.
