Staff Report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – An alarming incident unfolded early this morning on the University of Florida campus, leading to the arrest of Andrew Jonathan Heise, a 19-year-old resident of Newberry. Heise was taken into custody after a mother and her daughter reported an unsettling encounter with a drunken individual who allegedly assaulted them and attempted to force entry into their car.
The incident occurred around 12:15 a.m. on April 19, near Fletcher Hall at 125 Buckman Drive. University of Florida Police officers swiftly responded to the distress call from the mother-daughter duo, who recounted their harrowing experience with a white male aggressively trying to gain access to their vehicle.
Upon arrival, officers quickly detained Heise and proceeded to gather statements from the victims. According to the first victim, the chaos began while she was dropping off her daughter. They were suddenly accosted by an unknown man who shouted profanities and charged at their car, yanking at the door handles in a frenzied attempt to enter.
In a dramatic twist, a passerby intervened to pull the man away, temporarily diffusing the situation. However, the assailant managed to break free and resumed his efforts to reach the vehicle, leaving the victims in palpable fear for their safety.
The mother, acting in self-defense, reported striking the man once, yet he persistently tried to access the vehicle from both sides. Her belief was that the man’s intentions were to steal the car, escalating the tension of the encounter.
The second victim reportedly corroborated the first victim’s story and said she was in fear for her safety when the man charged her and her mother.
An officer reported that surveillance video corroborated the victims’ accounts of the incident, and the video reportedly shows Heise being restrained multiple times but making his way back to the victims every time.
Post Miranda, Heise reportedly said he didn’t remember anything about the incident. An officer reported that he appeared to be very intoxicated and smelled strongly of alcohol. Heise reportedly admitted that he had been drinking.
Heise has been charged with two counts of assault, attempted burglary of a vehicle, and disorderly intoxication. He has no adult criminal history, and Judge Denise Ferrero ordered him released on his own recognizance.
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.
