A Leesburg man was arrested for battery after his girlfriend showed up at a friend’s house covered in bruises.
Police responded to an apartment complex in Leesburg regarding a well-being check at about 10:50 p.m. Wednesday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department.
The complainant stated the female victim arrived at her residence earlier in the day with visible bruises on her. The victim told her that she received the injuries during an altercation with her boyfriend, 27-year-old Usah Hussan Hooten, the report said.
Upon arrival, officers spoke with the victim, the report said. She advised she was in a verbal dispute with Hooten earlier in the afternoon but would not say how it began. She said the argument escalated, and he struck her in the face. The victim was uncooperative and would not provide further information on the incident, but continuously stated she was “fine” and “everything is ok.”
The officer asked the victim where Hooten struck her, and she showed her swollen left eye. She refused to allow officers to check for further injuries, became irate and would not speak about it further, the report said.
Officers then talked to Hooten, who was inside the apartment. He confirmed that he was in a dispute with the victim but said it was strictly verbal. He stated he only struck the television inside the residence, and he refused to speak about it further, the report said.
Afterwards, officers called the complainant for questioning. She advised that the victim arrived at her residence at about 7:30 p.m. visibly upset. She had multiple bruises on her neck, face and arm. The victim told her that she got the injuries from Hooten and did not feel safe enough to return back to the apartment. She also voiced concerns that her children were not safe and needed someone else to take custody of them. She later decided to return to the apartment, the report said.
The victim’s friend then arrived at the scene. Officers tried to speak to her, but the victim demanded the witness not to. The victim was informed that she was not allowed to interfere with the investigation. The witness only informed officers that she received a phone call from the victim earlier in the day, and she needed to make sure she was safe. She refused to speak with officers further about the incident, the report said.
A check later revealed that Hooten had one prior battery conviction from June 2000, the report said.
The New York native was subsequently arrested on charge of simple battery (domestic – one prior conviction). He was transported to the Lake County Jail with bond set at $2,000.
