Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Willie James Daniels, Jr., 36, was taken into custody yesterday, accused of threatening a woman and her two-year-old with a knife, as well as pushing the child and spitting in the woman’s face.

At approximately 8:54 p.m. on May 27, an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to an apartment at an undisclosed location. The adult female victim reported that Daniels had been inside her apartment, and she wanted him to leave. She stated that he began arguing with her, pushed her two-year-old child to the ground, then grabbed a kitchen knife and threatened to kill her and her child. As he was leaving, he allegedly spat in the woman’s face and then fled.

A witness told the deputy she encountered Daniels as he was leaving and said he admitted spitting in the woman’s face.

Daniels was found and arrested at the Circle K at 5237 SW 20th Avenue, and a search incident to arrest reportedly produced a small bag of marijuana.

After being read his rights, Daniels reportedly admitted to spitting at the woman and claimed that the child had been in his face, though he denied pushing the child. When questioned about the knife, he reportedly “became very irate and began yelling that he did not have a knife.”

Daniels, who is described as homeless on the arrest report, has been charged with aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony, child abuse without great bodily harm, battery, and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana. Locally, he has two misdemeanor convictions (non-violent). Judge Meshon Rawls set bail at $34,000.

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.