A 22-year-old Leesburg man was arrested after he admitted to choking his lady friend during an argument over a cell phone outside a Walgreens in Lady Lake.
At around 10 a.m. May 8, a Lady Lake Police officer responded a report of a fight in progress at the Walgreen’s store at 890 U.S. Hwy. 27/441. The victim told the officer she and Masiah Jaz Griffin were arguing when he took her cell phone, according to the police report.
The victim said she grabbed Griffin’s shirt to get her phone back when he intentionally choked her by placing his hands around her neck. She said she couldn’t breathe and hit Griffin to get away. The victim had visible scratch marks on the left side of her neck, and there appeared to be red marks similar to the vein lines in the neck area, the report said.
The victim said she had to roll out of her vehicle before Griffin fled the scene. She said she and Griffin have in in a relationship and living together as a family, according to the report.
Fruitland Police pulled Griffin over at the Domino’s at 2009 Citrus Blvd. in Leesburg. After being advised of his Miranda warning, Griffin said he took the victim’s phone during the altercation and he choked her, the report said.
Griffin was charged with domestic battery by strangulation and taken to the Lake County Jail, where he was released the next day on $2,000 bond. He’ll appear in Lake County Court on June 1.
