Whew, y’all — Florida has done it again. What started as a quick trip to a Gainesville Ace Hardware took a wild turn when 35-year-old Joshua Robert Spirit allegedly turned a father-daughter outing into a full-blown crime scene. Authorities say Spirit’s latest stunt has landed him behind bars facing some serious charges — and the details are jaw-dropping.
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Dad Turns Hardware Run Into Family Heist
According to reports, things went down around 4 p.m. on November 10th at Ace Hardware on University Avenue. Joshua Robert Spirit and his 6-year-old daughter were spotted in the tool section when, allegedly, the dad started slipping merchandise “into his person” and into his daughter’s bag — all while the little girl was reportedly “watching for people.” When a security guard noticed the pair passing all points of sale without paying for roughly $199 worth of goods, he tried to stop them. That’s when Spirit reportedly refused to comply and made a run for it. Law & Crime reports that Spirit may have briefly left his daughter amid this.
Spirit Ditches Daughter, Goes Full Fast & Furious
Things got even worse from there. As Spirit tried to take off with his daughter in his car, the guard stepped behind it to snap a picture of the license plate — and that’s when Spirit allegedly backed up and tapped the guard with his vehicle, while making his getaway. When police arrived at his home and confronted him, he reportedly made a run for it, leaving the child behind. Allegedly, Spirit bolted again, jumping over an 8-foot wall and trying to hide under a parked car at a nearby Walmart. When that didn’t work, he ran inside the store — but officers weren’t playing. A taser was eventually deployed before Spirit was taken into custody.
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Probation Who? Judge Says “No Bond For You”
Authorities say Spirit was already on probation for previous nonviolent felonies. Now, he’s facing a laundry list of new charges, including child abuse and neglect. His bond was set at $45,000, but a judge ordered him held without bond while his probation is reviewed. As of now, it’s unclear when he’ll be back in court — but one thing’s for sure: the innanet had plenty to say about this one. Chile, not the “bring your kid to crime” day gone wrong!
