Staff Report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In the early hours today, 38-year-old Samuel Bernard Donton was apprehended for allegedly assaulting his 74-year-old roommate, leaving the elderly man in a critical state.
Around 5:47 a.m. on October 13, officers from the Gainesville Police Department, along with emergency medical services, rushed to Campus Walk Apartments located at 914 SW 8th Avenue. There, they discovered the victim lying in a significant pool of blood. The injured man was immediately taken to the hospital, where his condition was deemed critical.
According to the investigation, another roommate overheard Donton and the victim engaged in a heated argument in the hallway. Attempting to intervene, he advised them to cease. Shortly thereafter, he found the victim injured with a head wound and promptly called 911 for help.
Reportedly, surveillance footage captured the altercation, showing the victim walking away after the argument. Donton allegedly pursued him, wrapping his arm around the victim’s neck in an attempt to bring him down. The footage purportedly shows the victim collapsing to his knees, followed by Donton forcefully slamming his head into the ground multiple times.
Donton faces charges of aggravated battery against a person over 65 years old. His criminal history includes two felony convictions, one of which was violent, and 14 misdemeanors, five of which involved violence. Judge Jonathan Ramsey has set his bail at $150,000, aligning with the amount specified by Judge David Kreider in the arrest warrant.
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.
