Man arrested for threatening to stab fast food employee, two days after release from prison for similar incident in Citrus County

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Steven Meric Gunkle, 36, was arrested last night after allegedly displaying a large knife during an argument with a fast food employee in a drive-through; he was just released from prison on September 4 after serving a five-year sentence for a similar incident in Citrus County. At about 9:12 p.m. on September 6, Gainesville Police Department officers responded to Gyros and Grill (826 W. University Avenue), where an employee said that when he asked Gunkle to move out of the drive-through, Gunkle pulled out an eight-inch-long hunting-style knife in a sheath and held it up; he said he was in fear for his life when he saw the knife because he was only a few feet away from Gunkle. Officers located Gunkle about a block away, and post Miranda, Gunkle reportedly said he and the victim had argued verbally, but he never touched his knife. When an officer told Gunkle there was video of the incident, Gunkle said he did not want to answer any more questions. Gunkle reportedly stated spontaneously that he had just been released from prison for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. An officer reported that surveillance video showed the victim walking toward Gunkle, and then Gunkle reaches into his waistband and pulls out a knife. Gunkle, whose address is listed as Bushnell, Florida, has been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. His full criminal history is unavailable because those documents are not posted on holidays, but he was released from prison on September 4 after serving a five-year sentence. Documents from Citrus County state that Gunkle was arrested on August 26, 2021, for threatening a Boost Mobile employee in Inverness while holding two knives; he also stabbed the front window of the business while saying he was going to kill the employee because Boost Mobile had hacked his cell phone. Judge Sheree Lancaster set bail at $75,000 on the new charge.