A Florida man allegedly chased a college student with autism through a dormitory, cornered him in a bathroom stall, and repeatedly flicked his face while filming the encounter for his YouTube channel, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit. Jack LaRoche faces charges of abuse of a disabled adult, false imprisonment, and providing a false name to law enforcement following the incident on the University of North Florida (UNF) campus.
Background
The incident occurred on Aug. 22 at the University of North Florida. The victim, a student with autism, reported to the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office that an unknown man began following him outside his dormitory. When the victim entered the building, the suspect, later identified as LaRoche, continued to pursue him.
The affidavit states that the victim attempted to enter a friend’s room, but the friend was not home. The victim then fled into a bathroom and hid in a stall. LaRoche allegedly entered the adjacent stall, peeked over the partition, and initiated conversation. He then entered the victim's stall and began flicking the victim in the face, causing his glasses to fall off.
LaRoche allegedly demanded that the victim set a timer on his phone for 10 minutes and remain in the stall until it expired. He reportedly threatened that if the victim left before the timer went off, he would "come back and get you." The victim stated he was "too afraid to leave due to the suspect's statements" and waited for the timer to expire before driving to the police station to report the assault.
The Charges
Authorities spotted LaRoche walking on campus shortly after the incident. When approached by deputies, LaRoche allegedly identified himself as "Jack Jones" and claimed to be a student at the school, though he could not name his dormitory. He was taken into custody, and the victim subsequently identified him as the assailant.
LaRoche later provided his real name and told officers he was on campus to shoot videos for YouTube, describing his actions as just "f—ing around." He denied assaulting the victim. The UNF Spinnaker, the campus newspaper, reported that LaRoche is not a student at the university.
LaRoche has been charged with abuse of a disabled adult, false imprisonment, and giving a false name to law enforcement. He was booked into the Duval County Jail with a bond set at approximately $22,500.
Key Takeaways
- Jack LaRoche is charged with abuse of a disabled adult and false imprisonment following an alleged incident at the University of North Florida.
- The victim, a student with autism, was allegedly chased into a bathroom stall and had his face flicked repeatedly while being filmed.
- LaRoche allegedly imposed a 10-minute timer on the victim, threatening him if he left the stall early.
- LaRoche initially gave a false name to deputies and claimed to be a student, a claim disputed by the campus newspaper.
- The suspect was booked into Duval County Jail with a bond of approximately $22,500.
What's Next
LaRoche remains in custody at the Duval County Jail pending his first court appearance. The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident, and the victim's account is central to the prosecution's case. No specific trial date has been announced yet, but legal proceedings are expected to move forward following the arraignment.