ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – A St. Johns County man told News4JAX Monday he’s been inundated with calls and messages from people asking if he’d been arrested and accused of pointing a gun at a Highway Patrol Trooper in Polk County.
He wasn’t — he just has the same name as the man who was.
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Without a mugshot of the suspect released on Monday morning, the local man said there was a lot of confusion. Although there are several coincidental, surface-level similarities between the two men, News4JAX confirmed they are not the same.
On Sunday, a Matthew Reiter was arrested in Polk County, which is southwest of Orlando.
At the same time, another man named Matthew Reiter was in St. Johns County at church, leading a youth group.
“I’m a mentor to youth at schools, Pedro [Menendez], mentor here at this church, Mall 2121, so I’m going through my head like, ‘These parents and teachers, you know, may think I’ve lost my mind,’” said Reiter of St. Johns County. “I’ve had about 50 calls so far.”
The other Matthew Reiter is facing multiple charges after authorities said he pointed a “compact style firearm” at a driver in Polk County during a road rage incident. The other driver turned out to be an off-duty Florida Highway Patrol trooper, according to FHP.
Reiter of St. Johns County said people who know him well know he wouldn’t do something like that.
FHP said the suspect had five guns on him, sharing a photo of the guns displayed on the hood of his red truck. Reiter of St. Johns County also uses guns for hunting and drives a red truck.
But Reiter of St. Johns County has silver on the top of the rearview mirrors, while the rearview mirrors on the truck in the photo shared by FHP are black, News4JAX found.
The suspect, police said, is 32 years old and lives in Polk County, while the other Reiter is 37.
Reiter told News4JAX he’s concerned not just for his own reputation but also for the family-run roofing company that shares his name.
“A lot of people actually reached out that I’m doing roofs for, and some I’ve given estimates to that’s re-signing up with me...they’re like, ‘Hey, is you know, is this you?’ Because there’s no mugshot. So yes, I’m worried about the business,” he said.
He encouraged people to confirm the facts before making assumptions.
The other Reiter, court records show, is facing seven charges, including three felony counts of improperly brandishing a weapon.