The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) arrested a man who reportedly set fires to multiple homeless encampments in Gainesville on New Year’s Day. 

According to an ACSO press release, deputies, along with crews from Alachua County Fire Rescue (ACFR) and Gainesville Fire Rescue (GFR), responded during the afternoon hours of New Year’s Day to a report of a structure fire at a homeless encampment at the 7700 block of West Newberry Road.  

While on scene, a witness who reported the fire approached deputies and told them they spotted some individuals running away from the blaze and provided the officers with their descriptions. It was determined that one of the people was 33-year-old Justin Croft. 

A canvas of the area was completed, but deputies could not find Croft or any of the other individuals.  

According to the release, at around 7 p.m. on New Year’s Day, ACSO deputies responded to the 8000 block of West Newberry Road to a report of a second fire of a homeless encampment in a wooded area behind Publix. This location was close to the first reported blaze.  

When officers arrived, they entered the woods and engaged with two witnesses. Both persons reported that Croft was the subject of the first fire, watching him light the blaze, and that he caused the second fire that was being investigated.  

Deputies also learned that after a verbal argument about the first reported fire, Croft threatened one of the witnesses, saying he would “burn her place down,” according to the release. 

As law enforcement continued to search the area of West Newberry Road, three people were spotted exiting the woods near Moe’s Southwest Grill just before 8:30 p.m., according to the release. Deputies made contact with the individuals and detained them for questioning. Officers confirmed that one of the people was Croft.  

According to the release, Croft was arrested and charged with two counts of first-degree arson, while the other two individuals were released.