Staff report
Updated at 4 p.m. on January 2 with bail information.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Authorities have arrested 33-year-old Justin Will Croft, who is accused of igniting fires at two separate homeless encampments, leading to a significant brush fire along Newberry Road.
On January 1, the Alachua County Fire Rescue team responded to a blaze at a homeless encampment located in the woods near the 7700 block of West Newberry Road. Upon arriving, they were informed by residents of the camp that Croft was suspected of starting the fire. Witnesses described individuals fleeing the scene, but deputies were initially unable to find Croft or the others involved.
Later that day, the Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputies were called to a second fire in the 8000 block of West Newberry Road. A witness in the area came forward, claiming to have seen Croft set the first encampment ablaze earlier and then proceed to ignite a second encampment while the resident was still inside. The witness also alleged that Croft was carrying a stolen pistol.
By approximately 7:20 p.m., deputies visited the second encampment where firefighters confirmed that the fire’s characteristics, such as active burning on bare ground, suggested the use of accelerants, indicating the fire was deliberately set. The resident of this encampment alleged that Croft had indeed set her home on fire, noting that he had threatened to “burn her place down” following a dispute over the initial fire at the first encampment.
The deputy went to Newberry Road to watch for people coming out of the woods while other deputies searched the woods, and at about 8:30 p.m., he saw three people walking out of the woods on the north side of Newberry Road. He recognized Croft from previous interactions and detained all three people.
Poe Miranda, Croft denied starting any fires but could not explain how they started. He said he was not armed, and no firearm was found during a search.
One of the other people with Croft said he did not know whether Croft had set the fires at the homeless encampments, but he said Croft had burned down an abandoned house near Napolatano’s in September.
The two people who were with Croft at the time of his arrest were released.
Croft has been charged with two counts of first-degree arson. He has one felony conviction for grand theft of a motor vehicle, following a 2022 arrest for carjacking. After entering a plea of nolo contendere to grand theft of a motor vehicle, Croft was sentenced to two years of probation, but after two arrests for violating probation, he was sentenced to 11 months and 29 days in the Alachua County Jail and was released on April 26, 2025. Judge Adam Lee ordered him held without bail on the new charges, pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him 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.
