Man on pre-trial release arrested for stealing vehicle, shooting gun into air, and threatening to shoot two people

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Joel Angel Foster, 27, was arrested early this morning after allegedly stealing his girlfriend’s vehicle, threatening to shoot two people, and shooting into the air at Tiger Bay Apartments. Foster, who is on pre-trial release, was charged with six felonies and two misdemeanors for incidents that stretched over 12 hours yesterday.

At about 12:30 p.m. yesterday, Foster allegedly got into an argument with his girlfriend at Santa Fe Oaks Apartments, grabbed her keys, and took her vehicle, with her firearm inside, without her permission.

His girlfriend went to an apartment at Tiger Bay, and Foster reportedly went to that apartment several times yesterday, demanding to see her. At one point, he allegedly told the residents of the apartment they were “burning bridges and y’all going to lose everything,” lifted his shirt, and showed them a gun in his waistband; the residents immediately closed the door and called law enforcement, saying they were in fear for their lives.

The residents told a responding Gainesville Police Department officer that after Foster showed up a third time, around 12:05 a.m. today, they heard gunshots; another victim said Foster looked directly at her and fired six shots into the air.

GPD asked other agencies to look out for the stolen vehicle, and an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a high-risk traffic stop on the vehicle at about 1:30 a.m.

A search of Foster reportedly produced an empty handgun holster in his waistband and a plastic baggie with 30.3 grams of MDPV (molly) in his pocket. A search of the vehicle reportedly produced a 9mm handgun with an extended magazine, an SKS rifle with an extended magazine, two boxes of 9mm hollow-point bullets, and about 19 grams of marijuana.

Post Miranda, Foster reportedly said he had permission to drive the car and said he smoked molly “a lot” and planned to smoke it with a group of people. He said he does not sell narcotics and that he had the guns because he planned to go target shooting with a friend.

Foster has been charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, grand theft of a motor vehicle, domestic battery, trafficking in MDPV, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana.

Foster has three misdemeanor convictions (none violent). He is on pre-trial release on a false imprisonment charge from August 2023 and is prohibited from possessing any weapons; his bail in that case was originally set at $35,000, but Judge Phillip Pena reduced it to $7,500 in June, and Foster posted bail a few days later. On June 25, he entered a plea of nolo contendere to disturbing the peace and property damage for allegedly yelling at a Walmart employee and throwing merchandise on the floor; Judge Kristine Van Vorst adjudicated him guilty of the two second-degree misdemeanor charges and fined him $376. He has not made any payments and has been notified that he is over 10 days past due for making a payment or submitting community service hours.

Judge Donna Keim set bail on the new charges at $110,000.

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.

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