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Tuesday, June 30, 2026
A 27-year-old Gainesville woman died Monday night after a driver struck her while she was cycling on St. Johns Avenue in Putnam County. The 35-year-old driver of a 2020 Kia Forte veered into oncoming lanes before hitting the cyclist, then abandoned the vehicle and fled. Florida Highway Patrol is investigating and asking anyone with information to come forward.
Sources: WCJB TV20
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office bomb squad responded Sunday to reports of a suspicious package near a business on Northwest 59th Terrace in Alachua. Officers determined the package was a cooler sealed with duct tape and filled with motor oil, and the scene was cleared without incident.
Sources: Mainstreet Daily News · WCJB TV20
A woman swimming with friends died after an alligator bit off her arm, according to 911 calls captured by local media, in what authorities are investigating as a fatal attack in Seminole County. Separately, a boy fishing at Nelson’s Fish Camp in Marion County was bitten on the hand by an alligator, which an FWC officer subsequently killed. Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission officials say three people have been attacked by alligators in Central Florida this month, during what they describe as an active mating season.
Sources: The Gainesville Sun · WCJB TV20
A 23-year-old Gainesville-area woman was arrested Saturday after deputies say she followed her ex-husband’s pickup truck while intoxicated and intentionally struck it with her vehicle, with their 2-year-old daughter inside. Anna Lewis faces charges of aggravated assault for using her car as a deadly weapon and child abuse.
Sources: WCJB TV20
Gainesville Police arrested 37-year-old Lonnie Barton on Sunday on charges of armed robbery and battery after he allegedly struck a man with a metal pipe, leaving a laceration on the victim’s forehead, and searched his pockets for money. Officers say the assault was preceded by a dispute after the victim exposed himself to Barton and a witness. Barton is being held without bond at the Alachua County Jail.
Sources: WCJB TV20
In Brief
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