A Leesburg man and his girlfriend were both arrested for battery after cheating allegations escalated into a physical confrontation.
Police responded to an undisclosed Leesburg residence in reference to a battery at about 3:18 a.m. Monday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. The caller, 39-year-old Kenneth Wendell King, stated that his girlfriend, 25-year-old Holly Hagan, scratched his face.
Upon arrival, the officers observed the residence was in disarray with articles of clothing, hangars and other items strewn about as if a physical altercation had taken place. They met with King and Hagan as well as their infant and three-year-old child from Hagan’s previous relationship. They had lived together as a family for one year, the report said.
The officers first spoke to King who advised he was awoken by Hagan because she was upset about some texts she found on his phone. She wanted to know why he was cheating on her. King stated that she attacked him while lying in the bed and all he did was try to keep her from striking him any further, the report said.
The officers then spoke to Hagan, the report said. She advised that she got upset about what she found on King’s phone and woke him up to confront him. She said he placed both of his hands around her throat and began choking her, during which she could not breathe. She also said she was thrown to the ground during the altercation.
Both subjects were spoken to multiple times to determine a primary aggressor, but both of them claimed that the other started the physical altercation. In addition, both sustained injuries. King had multiple scratch marks on both of his arms which appeared to be fresh. Hagan had red marks around her neck and what appeared to be an abrasion on her upper right arm, the report said.
Due to the evidence and lack of witnesses, both King and Hagan were arrested and transported to the Lake County Jail. King was charged with domestic battery by strangulation and released after posting $2,000 bond. Hagan was charged with domestic battery and released after posting $1,000 bond.
