Gainesville man charged with attempted murder after allegedly hitting man with car

Staff report

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Reuben Alvin Manning, Jr., 40, was arrested last night and charged with attempted homicide, property damage, and possession of less than 20 grams of marijuana after allegedly accelerating toward a man he was arguing with, injuring the victim.

At about 7:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Manning allegedly confronted the victim and demanded repayment of money owed to him. The two men reportedly got into a heated argument while Manning drove through a parking lot near the intersection of Main Street and 8th Avenue while the victim walked alongside the car. Manning allegedly accelerated intentionally toward the victim and hit the victim with the front of his car. The victim reportedly rolled up onto the hood of the car, sustaining injuries that required medical treatment.

Manning allegedly said, “I’m going to kill you, cracker” before hitting the victim. The responding Gainesville Police Department officer reported that the incident was captured on video.

A witness reportedly saw the argument, heard Manning say he was going to kill the victim, and saw Manning intentionally hit the victim with his car. Another witness reportedly saw the two men arguing.

After the victim was injured, Manning allegedly hit a traffic sign valued at $500 and fled the scene.

A few minutes later, officers located Manning, still driving the car, in the 3400 block of SW 42nd Place and conducted a traffic stop. A search incident to arrest reportedly produced 2.6 grams of marijuana in a door pocket of the car; Manning was reportedly the only occupant of the car.

Post Miranda, Manning reportedly admitted driving the car and arguing with the victim and one of the witnesses; he said that when the victim walked in front of his car, he accelerated and intentionally hit the victim, but he denied that he was trying to kill the victim or said he wanted to kill the victim.

According to court documents, Manning has lived in the area his whole life and has worked in political communications for about five years. He has ten felony convictions (one violent) and one misdemeanor conviction (non-violent). He has served four state prison sentences, all out of Alachua, with his most recent release in 2017. Judge George Wright ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s Office to hold him without bail until trial.

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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