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UF student charged with assaulting second bar employee in 3 months

The Social at Midtown (Nora O'Neill/WUFT)
The Social at Midtown (Nora O'Neill/WUFT)

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – A 20-year-old University of Florida student was arrested Monday for assaulting a manager at The Social — three months after he was arrested for punching a bouncer in the face at the Salty Dog Saloon.Kaleb Wiswall is being charged with aggravated battery and disorderly intoxication after punching a manager at The Social, pushing him down four stairs and falling down on his neck, according to the arrest report. The manager sustained a dislocated shoulder, a dislocated finger and bruises.The manager was in the process of escorting Wiswall and his girlfriend from the bar after suspecting the couple had been using cocaine in the men’s bathroom, according to the arrest report. When the manager reached to remove Wiswall’s bar bracelet, Wiswall swung and hit him, and the fight ensued. Wiswall told police he was in the bathroom with his girlfriend because she was fixing her makeup. He also maintains that another bouncer pushed him, causing him to lose his balance and fall on top of the manager.

Wiswall was arrested in July and charged with simple battery after he punched a bouncer who denied him entry into the Salty Dog Saloon. At the time, he was released from jail without bail and accepted a deferred prosecution agreement. The conditions required Wiswall to pay $100 to the state attorney, pay $150 to the Black on Black Crime Task Force or perform 12 hours of community service, and refrain from violating any governmental ordinances.The prosecution was deferred for a six-month period, but this new arrest means Wiswall violated the terms after just three months. Darry Lloyd, a spokesperson for the State Attorney Eighth Judicial Circuit, said given the new arrest, Wiswall’s deferred prosecution could be revoked, though the state attorney will have to review it.Wiswall, 20, declined to tell police if he had consumed any alcohol prior to the fight. He also told an officer he tried cocaine once in high school and never after that.Liam O’Brien, the 22-year-old who was hit by Wiswall while working as a bouncer in July, said he isn’t surprised Wiswall assaulted another bar employee.“If he was drunk, he probably acted in a similar way as he did with me,” O’Brien said. “It’s something that I see happen a lot — repeat behavior when people are drunk.”O’Brien said he believes Wiswall was drunk when he hit him.Wiswall has no charges other than the ones related to the two bar cases. He is being held in Alachua County Jail as of Tuesday with bail totaling $20,000.__This is a breaking news story. Check back for further developments. Contact WUFT News by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org

Nora is a reporter for WUFT News who can be reached by calling 352-392-6397 or emailing news@wuft.org.