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HAWTHORNE ‒ A Leesburg man was arrested Wednesday afternoon following a violent road rage altercation in Hawthorne that left another driver hospitalized with multiple stab wounds.

According to the Alachua County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded around 2:47 p.m. on Sept. 24, 2025, to the intersection of U.S. Highway 301 and State Road 20, where the confrontation began between 50-year-old Jean Claude Van Damme and another driver. Both men pulled their vehicles to the roadside after a traffic dispute and engaged in an argument.

Witnesses told deputies that the confrontation turned physical when Van Damme spit on the other driver, prompting the man to strike him once in the face. Van Damme then allegedly pulled a knife and slashed at the victim while he attempted to back away. At one point, Van Damme fell, but both men ended up on the ground as the attack continued. Deputies said bystanders intervened and physically pulled Van Damme off the victim, preventing further injury.

A deputy reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby business that reportedly showed the sequence of events. The video confirmed that the victim punched Van Damme once before backing away. Van Damme was then seen advancing with the knife, making slashing motions as the victim retreated. The footage captured Van Damme falling, the victim reaching toward the knife, and the two men struggling on the ground before witnesses intervened.

The victim was transported to UF Health Shands Hospital with stab wounds and lacerations. Deputies reported that the injuries could have been fatal without the actions of those who restrained Van Damme. The victim later provided a sworn statement to law enforcement.

After being read his rights, Van Damme requested an attorney. He was charged with attempted homicide and booked into the Alachua County Jail. Court records show that Van Damme has no prior criminal history.

Judge Meshon Rawls has ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s Office to detain him until trial. If the motion is denied, bail will be set at that time.

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Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com

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