Hawthorne Woman Arrested for Threatening Ex-Boyfriend’s Girlfriend, Charged with Two Counts Of Aggravated Battery

HAWTHORNE ‒ Kaytee Kaitlyn Hesters, 31, of Hawthorne, was arrested on Sunday, July 23, and charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon after allegedly threatening her ex-boyfriend’s girlfriend with a gun and accelerating her car toward the same woman.

At about 12:20 p.m., an Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to a call about an armed disturbance at the Holden Park Boat Ramp. The victim, who is the current girlfriend of Hesters’ ex-boyfriend, said that she, her boyfriend and her four-year-old son were fishing at the boat ramp when Hesters arrived, parked in the entrance way, got out of her 2017 Dodge Journey and began arguing with the victim.

The victim told the deputy that Hesters said, “I got something for y’all,” then took a small pink and white bag from the back of her car, pulled a black semi-automatic handgun from the bag and held it up so the victim could clearly see she was holding a weapon. The victim said she interpreted Hesters’ actions as a credible threat of bodily harm.

The victim began recording the incident on her cell phone. Hesters allegedly got back in her car and accelerated directly at the victim who was attempting to walk away and avoid the defendant’s vehicle. The defendant’s vehicle then came to a quick stop about eight inches from the victim. Hesters then reportedly put her car into reverse and left the area. The victim reportedly provided the video, which showed parts of the incident, to the deputy.

A deputy pulled Hesters’ car over a short time later on Southeast Hawthorne Road and detained her. The deputy reported that a pink and white bag was in plain view in the car and that a gun was found inside the bag. Several children were in the defendant’s vehicle at the time of the traffic stop.

Post Miranda, Hesters reportedly said she was at the boat ramp first and that the victim arrived and started the argument. She said the victim brandished a firearm and that she accelerated quickly to leave but did not drive directly toward the victim. When she was asked about the events shown in the video, she reportedly said the victim walked in front of her as she was trying to turn to leave the parking lot. When she was asked about the gun, she reportedly said she didn’t know how the victim knew about the pink and white bag because she never removed it from the back seat of her car.

Hesters has a juvenile criminal history but no adult convictions.

Judge Thomas M. Jaworski released Hesters on her own recognizance.

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