GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a troubling incident, 60-year-old James Bernard Phillips found himself in police custody following accusations of assaulting a woman with a baseball bat and choking her during a heated dispute.

Responding to a distress call early on November 17, officers from the Gainesville Police Department arrived at the Kampus Inn located at 2820 NW 13th Street. Upon arrival, they discovered that Phillips allegedly wielded a baseball bat against the woman, leaving her with significant bruising and an eye injury. It is further alleged that Phillips choked the victim, confiscated her phone as she attempted to contact emergency services, and obstructed her escape by blocking the doorway.

In the aftermath of his arrest, Phillips maintained his innocence, allegedly informing officers that no altercation had occurred.

Phillips, who carries the designation of a Violent Felony Offender of Special Concern, now faces serious charges including aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment, and battery by strangulation. His criminal history is extensive, with 19 felony convictions—four of which are violent—and 12 misdemeanor convictions, also with four marked by violence. Phillips has served three state prison terms, his latest release dating back to 2014. In 2024, he was arrested for stealing and pawning a bicycle, eventually pleading no contest to pawnbroker transaction fraud in September 2025, which led to a probation sentence of three years handed down by Judge James Colaw.

In light of these new allegations, Judge Jonathan Ramsey has ordered Phillips to be held without bail. This decision is pending a forthcoming hearing prompted by a motion from the State Attorney’s office, aiming to keep him in custody until his trial. Should the judge reject this motion, bail will be determined at the subsequent hearing.

Judge Jonathan Ramsey 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.