A Gainesville man was arrested Saturday after he allegedly stabbed his roommate twice with a steak knife.
Richard Floto, 30, was arrested at the Hideaway Gainesville apartment complex, at 2800 SW Williston Road, on a charge of felony aggravated battery.
Floto and his roommate were arguing over a t-shirt and the smell of it, before the roommate eventually left the apartment for two hours, according to the arrest report.
When the roommate returned, the argument escalated. Floto grabbed a steak knife and stabbed himself in the arm while saying, “This is what Jesus did.”
The roommate ran down a hallway to seek shelter in a bedroom. Floto, still armed with the steak knife, chased him down the hallway.
While the roommate attempted to unlock the door, Floto stabbed him in the left shoulder and back. Floto also punched him in the face, according to the arrest report.
The roommate was able to find safety in the bedroom and call the police. He believes Floto would have killed him if a bigger knife was available, the arrest report said.
Floto was booked at the Alachua County Jail and is being held on a $300,000 bond. Aggravated battery carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison.
Contact Daniel Bednar at dbednar@alligator.org. Follow him on X @Danielbednar5.
Daniel Bednar is a first-year political science major and the Criminal Justice reporter for The Alligator. When he's not writing, you can find him scuba diving in the Keys or flying airplanes.
