Staff Report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Joshua Robert Spirit, 35, found himself in police custody yesterday after allegedly using his 6-year-old child as an accomplice in a shoplifting escapade and then leaving the child behind while fleeing from law enforcement.

The incident unfolded around 4 p.m. on November 10 at Ace Hardware, located at 3727 W. University Avenue. According to an employee, Spirit was seen placing items into a bag held by his young child, who was tasked with keeping watch for any onlookers. The duo allegedly exited the store without paying for the goods, valued at $199. When confronted by an employee, Spirit reportedly ignored the attempt to stop him, choosing instead to walk away. The employee managed to capture a photo of Spirit’s car license plate, at which point Spirit allegedly reversed his vehicle, lightly striking the employee. The employee then contacted 911 as Spirit departed the scene.

Officers from Gainesville Police Department tracked Spirit to his home in Pine Ridge, where he allegedly chose to flee, leaving his child unattended. Another officer reportedly spotted Spirit moving between apartments on NW 23rd Terrace and ordered him to halt, but Spirit instead scaled an 8-foot concrete wall, seeking refuge under a parked car in a Walmart parking lot, where he was eventually discovered by another officer.

Upon being discovered, Spirit reportedly made another attempt to escape by running from the officer and trying to scale the wall again. However, the officer from the other side was waiting, prompting Spirit to dash into the Walmart entryway where shopping carts are stored. At this point, the third officer deployed a Taser, while the second officer climbed over the wall to help apprehend Spirit inside the Walmart premises.

During a search conducted following Spirit’s arrest, authorities reportedly discovered a pocket knife in his possession.

Spirit has been charged with child abuse without great bodily harm, child neglect without great bodily harm, resisting recovery of property by a merchant, resisting an officer without violence, and theft. He has four felony convictions (non-violent); he served one prison sentence and was released in 2013. He was also booked on warrants for violating probation in a 2023 shoplifting case and failing to appear at a hearing in a domestic battery case. Judge Denise Ferrero set bail at $45,000 on the new charges and ordered him held without bail until the probation violation is resolved; the warrant in the shoplifting case had bail of $5,000.

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.