Man arrested after allegedly chasing and shooting man who siphoned gas from his car - Alachua Chronicle

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Jonathan Velez-Rodriguez, 36, was arrested this morning and charged with aggravated battery after he allegedly chased and shot a man who tried to siphon gas from his car at a motel.

At about 7:07 a.m. on September 27, a Gainesville Police Department officer responded to a call about a shooting and found the victim with a gunshot wound to the thigh. Three shell casings were reportedly found in the roadway of the 1400 block of SW 18th Place.

The victim reportedly said he had run out of gas and could not find any open stations because of the hurricane, so he decided to siphon gas from a vehicle in the parking lot of the Days Inn (1901 SW 13th Street). He said the owner of the car asked him what he was doing, so he walked away. He said Velez-Rodriguez followed him in his vehicle, so he ran across SW 13th Street and onto SW 18th Place. He heard shots and realized he had been shot in the thigh; he said Velez-Rodriguez was about 20-30 feet away from him when he fired the gun.

The responding officer contacted Velez-Rodriguez near his vehicle, and Velez-Rodriguez reportedly said, “It’s me… I’m who you’re looking for… I messed up.” When the officer asked him what happened, Velez-Rodriguez reportedly said, “I walked out and he was siphoning gas from my car.” When the officer asked whether he had any weapons on him, he said the gun was in his car.

The victim reportedly identified Velez-Rodriguez as the person who had shot him.

Post Miranda, Velez-Rodriguez reportedly said he had seen the victim trying to steal gas from his vehicle, so he went back into his motel room to get his keys and then drove around, looking for the victim. He saw the victim crossing SW 13th Street, and when he drove onto SW 18th Place, he said, he took his gun from the glove box and shot out the window. He said he thought he shot twice and that he had been about 30 yards from the victim. He said he intended to scare the victim and did not intend to shoot him; he said he shot out of frustration and wasn’t trying to kill the victim.

The officer reportedly found the gun in the glove box of Velez-Rodriguez’s vehicle; the caliber of the ammunition in the gun matched the casings found in the roadway.

Velez-Rodriguez’s address is listed as High Springs; he has no local criminal history. Bail will be set tomorrow.

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.

So it’s okay now to steal someone else’s property. Maybe he was charged because the person shot only “attempted” to steal gas?Wonder if they’ll apply the same to someone who “attempts” to kill someone?

Moral of the story?

If you carry, or plan to carry, I strongly suggest you learn the gun laws before you also do something seriously stupid.

Chyyy

Should have scared him when he was sucking on the siphon. A good gulp of ethonal gas would gave been a better suited punishment.

Free him they damaged his property and took what he was in possession of.If someone steals your child out of your backseat can you shoot them?

Right free him that’s wrong to arrest him.

There’s a big difference between stealing gas and stealing a child. He should have called LEO.Maybe the police figured getting shot was punishment enough?They may have also arrested the thief, but it was written up in a separate report.

Don’t steal from me Karma. Don’t break into my home when I’m inside it !

You are just as likley to be shot by the police as you are by some random person with a weapon.

Prove your statement, cop hater.

Sucked off the wrong guy

As distressed sheltered young adult that’s still in school trying to find away home through the storm on his birthday, Deserved to be chase two blocks for his life after being shot at multiple times & wounded. You can’t chase your intruder armed. Both parties broke the law.

Where was it reported that the victim was a, “distressed sheltered young adult that’s still in school trying to find a way home through the storm on his birthday?”Even if that was what was happening, that doesn’t justify theft.

Don’t break inside my house on your birthday Adee while I’m sleeping in my bedroom …there will be no time to call a LEO.

Ohhhh, you are just so macho.

I’ve been distressed a couple of times, out of gas, on my way home. Guess what I did, Asked for help. Got it every time. Never got shot.

Um… I’m sorry, where did you get your information exactly? Do you know the Gas sucking their?

So, did the popo also arrest the thief?

Velez-Rodriguez was right to shoot the scumbag who was ripping off his gas. But he should have invested in a locking gas cap.

In the old days, what would they do if a thief stole your horse?

More like, “what if they stole your horse’s oats or water.” Just sayin’…

He screwed up when he chased him. That shows he was not in fear for his life. He would have been justified in chasing him down and beating his ass but not shooting him. This will be a very expensive lesson for the shooter.

Do you own or keep a siphon tube in your car? I don’t and never have. Likely story: ran out of gas and just happens to have a siphon tube in his car…. Hmmm…. One suspects he has stolen gas before… that said, don’t shoot at fleeing criminals if your life is not in danger (hint: if they are fleeing you, and not shooting at you, you are not in danger).

Siphon hose & gas can?

This is my brother. Thank you for your comment.

Listen… He wasn’t distressed or trying to go home. How many people carry a specific size hose around in there car…come on the thief knew what he was doing and did it before….it’s not exactly common knowledge on how to siphen gas…

I’d be willing to bet there’s some readers and commenters on here who have excellent sucking skills.

IDC what anyone says, no one should be shot because they are stealing gas! That is was too extreme, when you can just call the police.

He broke the law by chasing this dude, but his only punishment is that he should be forced to complete a concealed carry registration and take some marksmanship classes so that I don’t have to pay for this “victim’s” medical bills next time.

Hopefully there are enhanced penalties for the thief due to stealing during a state of emergency.

This is my brother. He’s a great guy, husband, and dad. Thank you. He is not the type of person that has ever been angry, or sought out fights.