A Tavares man was arrested after he reportedly punched his boyfriend and dragged him out of their apartment when he was confronted over his drinking habits.
Oberllin Manuel Cirilo, 25, was charged with simple domestic battery after the incident, which happened shortly before 6 p.m. Monday at an undisclosed address in Tavares.
A neighbor told a Tavares police officer she heard banging on the wall of her apartment, which backs up against Cirilo’s apartment. She said she went out of her apartment and saw Cirilo “slamming the door and trying to drag” the male victim out, according to the arrest report.
The victim told the officer he and Cirilo have been together around nine months. He said he came home from work around 5 p.m. and greeted Cirilo, who was slurring his speech. The victim said Cirillo had promised he would stop drinking alcohol because the victim thought his consumption was becoming unhealthy. Suspecting Cirilo had been drinking, the victim searched the apartment and found three bottles of wine in their bedroom closet, the report said.
The victim said he confronted Cirilo about the wine and they got into an argument. The victim admitted that during the altercation, he “threw wine bottles on the ground and they smashed into the kitchen floor.” He said none of the bottles, liquids or shards of glass made contact with Cirilo, according to the report.
The victim said Cirilo grabbed him and pushed him against an interior wall. He said Cirilo scratched his throat and ripped his shirt while pulling him towards the front door. The victim said Cirilo opened the door and struck him on and around his face while trying to throw him out of the residence. The victim sustained several large scratches on his neck, as well as redness around his face and forehead, the report said.
The officer then spoke with Cirilo, who said the victim was the primary aggressor. Cirilo said he wanted the victim to leave his apartment but refused to provide his account of their argument. He had no visible injuries, according to the report.
Cirilo was arrested and taken to the Lake County Jail, where he was released after posting $1,000 bond.
