A Missouri man was arrested for battery after allegedly punching his wife in the mouth in front of their child during a verbal argument.
At about 7 p.m. Tuesday, the wife of 44-year-old Lawane Demonte Webb stated that he had punched her in the face and was still at the undisclosed Leesburg residence where it happened, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. Investigation showed that they had been married for eight years and lived together as a family with a child in common who was present during the incident.
The victim advised that they arrived in Lake County from Missouri about seven days prior to visit a friend at the incident location. Both were involved in a verbal argument. During this, Webb punched the victim in the mouth with a closed fist, knocking out her upper dentures and causing a laceration to her inner lip. Her lower lip was also swollen, the report said.
The victim further explained that they were headed back home the next day. Webb had been arrested in Missouri multiple times for hitting her. She also allowed a deputy to speak with her daughter who confirmed she heard her parents arguing very loudly and her mother cry out that she had just been struck by her father, the report said.
The deputy also asked Webb what happened, but he replied that “nothing happened.” When asked how the victim got the injury to her lip, he stated, “She hit herself to try and get me in trouble,” the report said.
Based on the deputy’s findings, he placed Webb under arrest for domestic battery. After being handcuffed, he started resisting the deputy’s efforts to escort him to a patrol vehicle. He had to be handled with minimal force, the report said.
Webb was charged with battery (domestic) and transported to Lake County Jail. Bond was set at $1,000.