In the early hours following UF’s national championship victory, three people were arrested on University Avenue amid crowds of celebrating fans.
At 12:42 a.m. Tuesday, police detained a UF student for resisting arrest, according to a police report.
UF student Gavin McArdle, 20, was allegedly concealing a boxy item under his shirt, causing a Gainesville Police Department officer to approach and question him.
As McArdle and the officer locked eyes, McArdle reportedly tried to slip away through the crowd. According to the arrest report, the officer caught up and grabbed his shirt, but McArdle broke free, causing the officer to fall.
Multiple officers tracked McArdle before UF Police Department officers located and arrested him at Ben Hill Griffin stadium. He was positively identified at the scene and declined to give a statement. The concealed item was not recovered due to the large crowd.
Nicholas Gallie, 23, was taken into custody for resisting arrest, assaulting a police officer and disorderly intoxication, according to the police report.
Gallie was reportedly spotted standing on the hood of a marked GPD vehicle, where he opened and drank a beer. When officers instructed him to step down, he complied but then allegedly attempted to flee.
According to the arrest report, an officer took Gallie to the ground, but he continued resisting and managed to get back on his feet, grabbing the officer’s shoulder in the process.
Officers were eventually able to place him in a patrol car, according to the report.
Gallie later told police he didn’t know what was happening and didn’t intend to assault the officer, claiming he believed he was being attacked.
Alexander Myrin, 24, was also detained for resisting arrest early Tuesday morning after ignoring an officer’s instructions, according to the police report.
A GPD officer was attempting to administer aid to an event goer on University Avenue when Myrin reportedly ignored repeated instructions to vacate the medical emergency area. According to the arrest report, Myrin’s refusal to move away obstructed the officer’s ability to provide assistance.
Steven Buchanan, 28, was injured after falling from the arm of a traffic pole on University Avenue. Buchanan scaled the pole and subsequently climbed onto the arm. Nearby crowds watched him bounce the pole up and down, screaming as he fell to the pavement.
Gainesville Fire Rescue and Alachua County Fire Rescue responded to the scene, and he was later transported to UF Health Shands Hospital. The investigation is ongoing and charges are expected, according to a press release from GPD.
Contact Olivia Shehadi at oshehadi@alligator.org. Follow her on X @OliviaS111.
