A 38-year-old Leesburg man was arrested after he reportedly pushed his mother into a wall while he was arguing with his girlfriend.
Police responded to an undisclosed residence in Leesburg on the evening of Aug. 13 after receiving a report that Joshua Christopher West was intoxicated and battering everyone else in the home. While on the way to the residence, an officer found West at the intersection of Flora and Butler streets, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department.
The officer tried to question West, but he was speaking incoherently. Other officers continued to talk to him while the first officer headed to the residence to speak with the victim – West’s mother – and a witness, the report said.
The witness told the officer that West and his girlfriend were arguing in the bedroom of the residence, yelling and making banging sounds. In addition, the witness initially stated they saw West grab the victim around the neck. This was later changed to say that West struck the victim with his arm in a pushing manner, causing her to fall back, according to the report.
West’s girlfriend, who was involved in the initial dispute, stated that she didn’t witness any physical altercation between West and the victim. She also denied any battery between herself and West, the report said.
The victim said West grabbed her by the neck and pushed her into the wall. She said he also grabbed her by the right forearm. The victim sustained three superficial bruises on her right forearm, each about an inch long. Upon further questioning, the victim became uncooperative and did not want to provide further information, the report said.
The report noted that West said he “removed whoever was in (his) way” but that he did not grab the victim by the neck, nor cause the injury to her arm, according to the report.
West was taken to the Lake County Jail and released after posting $1,000 bond.
