“Now My Life Is Ruined” Says Man Who Ruined His Own Life; Proceeds to Blame Victim
Correction made Sep 10 | Mistakenly reported Ware told the victim’s boyfriend to leave when it was the witness who told him to leave.
Drake Tilden Ware, 21, was arrested Thursday night and charged with aggravated stalking, burglary of an occupied dwelling, and battery (dating violence).
On the night of August 13, Gainesville Police Department (GPD) patrol units made contact with the victim, who advised Ware had shown up to her apartment uninvited and left articles of her clothing on her doorstep.
The couple met in January 2023 and were acquaintances for six months before they started dating. By October 2023, the victim had ended the relationship with Ware because of the obsessive and controlling behaviors he was exhibiting. Ware continued texting her unwantedly for 1-2 months before an incident occurred on December 1, 2023.
GPD Officer George Connolly reported the incident was “extremely disturbing.” He also reported three times that it occurred on December 1, 2024; however, this is likely a mistake since it is August 2024.
On December 1, 2023, Ware showed up to the victim’s house uninvited and knocked on her door. Not knowing who it was, she cracked open the door, and Ware forced it fully open, grabbed her, and threw her onto the floor of the apartment. Ware proceeded to run up the stairs where the new boyfriend was at.
At this point, the victim’s roommate pulled her behind a kitchen counter. The roommate went to the top of the stairs to find Ware and the new guy arguing. The roomate told them to both leave. The new guy left, but Ware was reportedly still hostile.
Despite being blocked everywhere, Ware continued to contact the victim after this incident into the new year. At some point after the incident, Ware texted the following to the victim:
In another incident that occurred in April, (Officer Connolly doesn’t specify year) Ware contacted the victim while she was out with a male friend, asking who he was. Ware knew her friend’s name despite not being told of him prior.
Officer Connolly reported that Ware “had the additional audacity to blame [the victim] for the emotional impact on him for the consequences of his own actions.”
Ware has been given a $75,000 bond for his burglary charge but isn’t eligible for bond on his battery and stalking charges.
Ware doesn’t have any criminal history.
