State attorney: No decisions yet in Joiner case

State Attorney Bill Cervone said he has not made any decisions related to Tuesday's arrest of University of Florida Gators starting strong safety and team captain Tony Joiner.

Joiner was arrested and accused of felony burglary of a business after Gainesville Police reported that around 5 a.m. he was outside Watson's Towing at 516 SW 1st St. and had pushed open a heavy electric gate in an attempt to retrieve his girlfriend's car.

The owner of the property, Stan Forron, has said he left the gate at the Watson's Towing open and doesn't understand why police arrested Joiner, who he said had made arrangements to pay the towing bill and pick up the car. But Joiner showed up later than expected and the employee on duty at the time was not in the office.

Cervone said he had not talked directly with representatives from the towing company, but had heard about comments that the situation with Joiner was a misunderstanding.

“I have heard that they are saying that,” Cervone said Wednesday. “I understand that they have said those kind of things.”

Cervone said he has authority to drop the case but no decision has been made. He also said comments attributed to the towing company that there is no wish to pursue a criminal case won't necessarily mean the charge will be dropped.

“While we always listen to the wishes of the witness whether to prosecute or not to prosecute, it is not determinative,” Cervone said. “We certainly take it into consideration. Sometimes we are in agreement with them and sometimes we are not. Until we know everything involved, I don't know if we are in agreement with them or not.”

Cervone said prosecutors would try to make a decision on whether or not to pursue the case within the next 30 days.