Convicted Felon Tries To Forcibly Enter Occupied Newberry Home

NEWBERRY ‒ Contravious Alexander Bedford, 30, was arrested Sept. 27 and charged with burglary, theft, property damage and battery after allegedly trying to force his way into the same Newberry residence twice in two days.

The first 911 call was at 8:52 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 26, when Bedford’s former girlfriend reported that Bedford had knocked on the door of the home. She said she leaned on it to hold it closed because it hadn’t been fully repaired following a previous incident in which Bedford had kicked the door in and had broken the door handle.

The victim was reportedly on the phone with the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office Combined Communications Center when Bedford allegedly pushed into the home, grabbed the phone out of her hand and threw it into the yard. The victim said that she gathered her children and put them in her car. Before she was able to get into the vehicle, Bedford threw a cup of juice on her. She said that she and her children locked themselves in her car until Bedford left.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s deputy who responded to that call reported that the front door was damaged and there was sticky juice on the victim’s car. Because Bedford had already left, the deputy completed a sworn complaint.

On Sept. 27 at 10:15 a.m. the next morning, the same victim called 911 again, and a deputy again responded. This time, Bedford was still at the residence. Spontaneously he said that he had been at the residence the night before and was just trying to gather some property and leave.

Bedford was arrested on the charges from the previous night. A small foil pouch was found in his pocket, which, Bedford reportedly said was “molly.” The substance tested positive for MDPV, a DEA federal schedule I drug.

Bedford was charged with burglary, theft, property damage over $200, obstructing communication with law enforcement and battery in the Sept. 26 incident, with bail set at $90,000.

He has also been ccharged with burglary and possession of a controlled substance in the Sept. 27 incident, with bail set at $75,000.

Bedford has four felony convictions, two of which were violent, and has served two state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2014.

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