Homeless Man Arrested for Setting Fires to Gainesville Encampments on New Year’s Day
Homeless Man Arrested for Setting Fires to Gainesville Encampments on New Year’s Day
GAINESVILLE, FL - A 33-year-old homeless man is behind bars after allegedly setting fire to two separate homeless encampments on New Year’s Day, leaving some of the area’s most vulnerable residents without shelter during the holiday weekend.
Justin Croft was arrested Thursday evening and charged with two counts of first-degree arson after witnesses identified him as the person responsible for intentionally setting fires at encampments along West Newberry Road.
The first fire was reported Thursday afternoon in the 7700 block of West Newberry Road, where Alachua County Fire Rescue responded to a structure fire at a homeless encampment in the wooded area. Witnesses told deputies they saw two individuals running from the scene and provided descriptions to law enforcement.
Just hours later, around 7:00 p.m., emergency crews were called to a second fire at another encampment in the 8000 block of West Newberry Road, located in the woods behind a Publix supermarket. The two locations are less than a mile apart.
According to the arrest report, a woman at the second encampment told deputies that Croft had threatened to “burn her place down” following a verbal argument earlier in the day. Fire investigators determined the fires were intentionally set, noting the use of accelerants and active burning on bare ground as evidence of arson.
Croft was eventually apprehended around 8:30 p.m. when deputies observed three individuals exiting the woods near Moe’s Southwest Grill on West Newberry Road. After questioning, Croft was identified and taken into custody.
The arrest has raised concerns about safety among Gainesville’s homeless population, who already face numerous challenges during the winter months. The fires destroyed what little property and shelter the encampment residents possessed, compounding their difficulties during the New Year holiday.
Croft is currently being held in the Alachua County Jail without bond. According to court records, he has a previous felony conviction for grand theft of a motor vehicle from a 2022 carjacking case. He was sentenced to probation for that offense but was later incarcerated for probation violations before being released in April 2025.
The Alachua County Sheriff’s Office continues to investigate the incidents. Anyone with additional information is encouraged to contact law enforcement.
This disturbing case highlights the ongoing challenges facing Gainesville’s homeless community and the need for increased support services and safe housing options for the city’s most vulnerable residents.