In a rather unsettling turn of events, Gainesville, Florida witnessed the arrest of 34-year-old Reid William Crosby. Accused of breaking into a vehicle and subsequently entering a home, Crosby’s alleged criminal activity was brought to an abrupt halt when the homeowner confronted him at gunpoint. Despite fleeing the scene, Crosby’s escape was short-lived after his mother arrived at the victim’s residence, tracing his phone signal there.

The incident unfolded in the early hours of December 30, around 4:20 a.m., when a Gainesville Police Department officer was called to a residence near the bustling intersection of NW 39th Avenue and NW 13th Street. The homeowner, who had been asleep, was jolted awake by unusual sounds echoing through his house. Upon investigating, he noticed an unfamiliar light coming from the kitchen, prompting him to arm himself with a pistol before venturing out to confront the intruder.

Upon entering the kitchen, the homeowner was startled to find a stranger holding a hammer, along with a rubber glove and rags taken from the resident’s garage. In a tense exchange, the homeowner inquired about Crosby’s identity, his purpose, and his method of entry. Crosby reportedly dropped the hammer and claimed he had no memory of how he ended up in the house, insisting he was escaping someone who had threatened him.

The situation intensified as the homeowner led Crosby at gunpoint into the garage, discovering the door wide open. Crosby reiterated his tale of fleeing a threat and requested the homeowner to summon the police. Seizing the opportunity, the homeowner retreated indoors, locking the door behind him and promptly contacting 911. During this time, Crosby made his escape before officers arrived, leaving them unable to locate him initially.

Subsequent investigation revealed that Crosby had initially targeted the homeowner’s vehicle, parked outside the garage and left unintentionally unlocked. He rifled through the center console and glove compartment, scattering items onto the seats, and even tampered with the steering column in an attempt to start the car. However, it was the discovery of the garage door opener that enabled Crosby’s entry into the house, as he used it to silently access the garage and proceed inside. The homeowner demonstrated to officers the unusually quiet nature of his garage door, explaining why he remained undisturbed during Crosby’s entry.

Officers determined that the man had burglarized the victim’s vehicle, which was parked outside the garage and had inadvertently been left unlocked. When the man entered the vehicle, he took items from the center console and the glove compartment and put them on the seats; the paneling below the steering wheel had also been removed in an apparent attempt to start the vehicle. However, the man apparently found the garage door opener, used it to open the garage door, and entered the house through a door inside the garage. The victim demonstrated to an officer that his garage door is unusually quiet, which is why he didn’t wake up when the garage door opened.

Officers determined that the man had gone through numerous drawers and cabinets in the garage, eventually picking up a hammer, a glove, and rags. The victim showed officers where cabinets and drawers were left open.

Later on the morning of December 30, Crosby’s mother showed up at the victim’s house and said her son’s phone was pinging in the back yard; the victim reported that an e-bike, backpack, and phone were found in his back yard and Crosby’s mother apologized for her son’s actions.

Later in the day, Crosby reportedly returned to the victim’s home, the victim contacted law enforcement, and officers arrived and transported Crosby to GPD headquarters for questioning.

Post Miranda, Crosby reportedly admitted that he had entered the victim’s vehicle and home after leaving a nearby bar. He said he was threatened by two people at the bar and fled the bar on his e-bike, eventually ending up on the road leading to the victim’s home, where he “hid” from the people chasing him.

Crosby reportedly said he has a concussion and had blacked out during the incident. When he said he didn’t know whether he was still being chased when he got to the victim’s home, the officer pointed out that if he was comfortable enough to spend time searching the victim’s vehicle, he was clearly not “being chased.” The officer reported that Crosby blamed “complete amnesia” several times and said, “I don’t know why I made any of these decisions. There was an empty space. There was no thought.”

Regarding what he was looking for in the garage, Crosby reportedly said, “I don’t know what I was picking up or why… I didn’t know what I was looking for in his [vehicle]… I didn’t know why I was doing it, I had complete amnesia.” Crosby reportedly speculated that someone may have put something in his drink at the bar.

Crosby reportedly mentioned a lack of sleep, “amnesia,” and potential mental health problems as contributing factors and agreed that he needed a mental health evaluation. He said he had not committed a crime in a long time, could not explain why he had done it, and said again that he had “complete amnesia.” He said that when his mother spoke with the victim and then spoke with him, that “triggered his memory,” and he remembered more about the incident.

Crosby has been charged with burglary of an occupied dwelling and burglary of a vehicle. He has 14 felony convictions (non-violent) and three misdemeanor convictions (non-violent) but no convictions since 2012; he served a two-year state prison sentence for 14 counts of burglary and grand theft and was released in 2015. Judge Adam Lee set bail at $100,000 and ordered a mental health evaluation.

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.