A Leesburg man was arrested when an argument with his girlfriend allegedly escalated into him shoving and punching her multiple times.
An officer responded to a battery at an undisclosed Lake County residence around 8:32 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. Upon arrival, the officer met with the complainant, also identified as the female victim. She advised that she and her boyfriend, 38-year-old Lenardo Williams, got into a physical altercation.
The victim explained that she and Williams began arguing while driving to the residence. The argument in the car was both verbal and physical, and it included shoving between both parties. When they got to the residence, they went to the backyard where Williams again pushed her, the report said.
After pushing the victim multiple times, Williams disengaged and walked inside the residence. She followed him as she was trying to get the car keys from him. But he left the house through the front door, leading her to continue following him through the door and into the front yard, the report said.
While in the front yard, the victim threw a water bottle in Williams’ direction. She was unsure if she hit him or not. He then clenched his fist and began to approach her, to which she ran inside the residence to get away from him, the report said.
Williams came inside the residence and proceeded to attack the victim. He punched her in or about the face multiple times with a closed fist. After the physical altercation ended, she contacted law enforcement for help, the report said.
The victim stated her lip was injured as a result of the altercation. The officer did indeed observe an abrasion measuring about a quarter of an inch in length on the inside of her upper lip. She also stated she and Williams had been dating for about two years and currently lived together as a family unit, making the incident domestic in nature, the report said.
The officer next spoke to Williams who advised that he and the victim were engaged in a verbal argument in the car while driving to the residence. Once there, the victim grabbed the jacket he wore and held on. He was able to free himself from the victim’s grip and proceeded to walk to the back yard to get into another vehicle and leave, the report said.
The victim followed Williams and continued arguing with him. While he was trying to get into the vehicle, she physically blocked him as she was attempting to get car keys from his pocket. He pushed her off and went inside the residence instead, the report said.
The victim continued following him inside the residence and eventually into the front yard. She then “tossed” a water bottle at him, hitting his face. He chased her inside the residence and “punched” her twice on the shoulder, the report said.
While speaking with Williams, the officer observed a minor discoloration, or redness, to his right eye, the report said.
Williams had the opportunity to disengage, remove himself from the situation and contact law enforcement. Yet he decided to reengage with the victim and batter her, the report said.
Because of this, Williams was arrested and charged with simple battery (domestic). He was transported to Lake County Jail and released after posting $1,000 bond.