A Leesburg man was arrested for battery after an alleged financial dispute between him and his boyfriend led to a scuffle over a phone.
A deputy responded to a battery complaint at an undisclosed Leesburg residence around 6:26 p.m. Monday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The complainant stated that he needed to report domestic violence and immediately disconnected. The LCSO communications center tried to regain contact but was unsuccessful.Â
Upon arrival, the deputy met with 28-year-old Dionte Rudolph Mann. He stated that he and his boyfriend of nine years got into an argument, at which time he took his phone and ran outside. They ended up in a physical altercation on the ground over the phone. He further advised the altercation was over a financial dispute between him and the victim, the report said.Â
The deputy next spoke to the victim who stated he was lying in bed when Mann entered the bedroom, took his phone and ran outside. He followed Mann outside to get his phone back, but during the ensuing scuffle, he and Mann fell to the ground. He showed deputies on scene a video of the incident confirming where Mann ran outside with the phone leading up to the physical altercation on the ground, the report said.Â
While on scene, Mann stated the two had gotten into physical altercations in the past but had different accounts of how the incident took place that day. The victim’s verbal statement matched the video which he showed deputies on scene. It established Mann as being the primary aggressor, the report said.Â
The report noted that the deputy observed Mann had scratch marks on the inside of his right arm, but he stated he got them from his dogs. He also had grass in his beard which was consistent with being on the ground. Neither party had a criminal history for prior battery convictions.Â
Mann was ultimately arrested on charge of simple battery (domestic). He was transported to Lake County Jail with bond set at $1,000.Â
