Timothy Booker Lancaster, 33, was arrested on April 5th in Gainesville after fleeing from officers who were responding to a call about a man lying on a sidewalk on the University of Florida campus.
At approximately 3:41 p.m., University of Florida Police Department officers arrived at Cypress Hall after receiving a call about a shirtless man in black and yellow pants who had been asked to leave but refused. Upon arrival, the officers found Lancaster, who matched the description, sitting on the sidewalk near SW 13th Street.
When officers spoke to Lancaster, he claimed he was trying to get a ride and wondered why there was no cab service. After identifying him, officers discovered Lancaster had an outstanding arrest warrant. When informed about the warrant and asked to stand, Lancaster ran across four lanes of traffic and into Garage 8. He was quickly apprehended after a third officer arrived and instructed him to get on the ground.
During his arrest, officers found several items in his possession, including three iPads, two cell phones, a Nintendo Wii, various identification cards in different names, and about $1,300 in cash. These items were collected as evidence.
Further investigation revealed that Lancaster had been banned from all UF properties since 2022, and video footage confirmed he had been lying near Cypress Hall. Lancaster now faces charges of trespassing after a warning, resisting an officer without violence, and a warrant for a previous burglary attempt at Mini Maid in November 2024. He is also dealing with a sworn complaint from February for falsely claiming to be shot at GRACE Marketplace.
Lancaster has a history of six felony convictions (non-violent), four misdemeanor convictions (non-violent), and served a state prison sentence before being released in September 2024. Judge Mitchell Bishop set Lancaster’s bail at $10,000 for the new charges in addition to the $100,000 for the outstanding warrant.
