GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Mitchell Lee Jones, 35, was arrested and charged with grand theft of a motorcycle, drug possession, and resisting an officer without violence after allegedly stealing a motorcycle and evading capture over several weeks.
The theft began on March 19, when the owner of a motorcycle left for a trip and received GPS alerts showing the bike was moving. When she returned home, the motorcycle was gone, and the GPS device had been disabled. Gainesville Police Department (GPD) officers identified a suspect — a short, heavy-set man with distinct tattoos — who was seen riding the motorcycle on traffic cameras at least 11 times in the two weeks following the theft.
On April 2, the motorcycle was spotted near Butler Plaza, and GPD officers and security guards canvassed the area. At about 5:13 p.m., a security guard saw Jones, who had been riding the stolen motorcycle, enter Whole Foods. Officers arrived as Jones exited the store and tried to stop him. Jones ran across Archer Road, into Panera, where officers tased him after he physically resisted arrest.
Officers discovered the ignition on the motorcycle had been manipulated to start with a screwdriver. The victim went to retrieve her bike and confirmed she didn’t know Jones and never gave him permission to take or damage the motorcycle.
While being arrested, Jones claimed to have swallowed fentanyl and was transported to a local hospital. Upon being read his Miranda rights, he admitted to possessing illegal drugs. A search of his pockets revealed 0.7 grams of crystal methamphetamine and 1.4 grams of synthetic marijuana. Jones explained that his actions were a result of a “bad drug problem.”
Jones, who resides at GRACE Marketplace, is facing charges of grand theft of a motor vehicle, two counts of possession of a controlled substance, and resisting an officer without violence. With a criminal record including three felony convictions, he was denied bail and remains in custody with a bail set at $30,000.
