A recently released arrest report detailed the circumstances of a Paisley teen’s arrest.
The Leesburg Police Department recently informed the public of 18-year-old Hunter Rome Johnson’s arrest. He was wanted for questioning in the homicide of 37-year-old Jody Ross, who was found on the ground outside Parkside Apartments with several gunshot wounds and later died from his injuries in March.
An officer on patrol initially spotted Johnson, who had an active warrant for possession of a weapon, near Tuskegee Street and Simmons Avenue around 3:50 p.m. Thursday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department.
He walked into Family Discount Mart, located at 2201 Griffin Rd., and left the store moments later. An officer started to walk toward him before he immediately began running southbound on Tuskegee Street. Other officers in the area began to pursue him on foot and in their patrol vehicles as he ran into the woods, the report said.
The officers were able to arrest Johnson, during which he stated he ran because he was afraid law enforcement would shoot him. They proceeded to search his person and found a Walter PDP 9mm pistol with one round in the chamber and 14 more in the magazine. This firearm had been reported stolen in a separate LPD case, the report said.
A criminal history check determined Johnson had been arrested by the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office on Jan. 31, 2022, for unarmed burglary to an unoccupied structure. As a result, he pled no contest and was “adjudicated delinquent” on Feb. 14, 2022. Furthermore, he was arrested in Brevard County by the Titusville Police Department for grand theft of a firearm on July 10, 2023. He pled guilty and was again “adjudicated delinquent,” the report said.
Later, while being booked, Johnson stated he ingested about 10 pills of Adderall while running from law enforcement. The report noted that in the firearm theft case, Adderall had been stolen from the same vehicle. He was ultimately taken to UF Health Leesburg Hospital, located at 600 E Dixie Ave., to be medically cleared.
Johnson was charged with theft of a firearm (recovered), possession of firearm/ammo by adjudicated and resist (obstruct without violence). He was booked at the Lake County Jail without bond, where he remains.