Man Arrested For Breaking into Gainesville Regional Utilities Headquarters Building

On Wednesday morning, James Darren Walker, 43, was arrested and charged with unarmed burglary of an unoccupied structure after allegedly breaking into the Gainesville Regional Utilities (GRU) building. 

According to the arrest report, a GRU employee saw Walker walking around the building near a shattered window and was told by Walker to “not mess with any of his belongings inside of the building,” while he reportedly positioned himself in an aggressive posture. 

The GRU employee told the responding officer that Walker walked West on SE 4th Ave, and he was eventually stopped on 400 South Main Street, where the employee positively identified Walker as the suspect.  

During Walker’s police interview, he initially denied being at GRU headquarters, stating he took a bus at Rosa Parks station to the Walmart off Archer Road before returning to the area.  

When Walker was told someone identified him as the suspect, he reportedly stated he “had only slept at the building the night prior, as he is not the only one who sleeps at the building.” He told officers that he did not shatter the window. 

Walker has elected to apply for criminal indigent status, i.e., he will seek public counsel due to a private attorney being unaffordable.  

Walker reportedly has eight felony and 20 misdemeanor adjunctions. He was given a bond of $1,000.