A homeless man in Leesburg was arrested after allegedly shoving his pregnant girlfriend during an argument at their camp.
A deputy responded to a domestic violence incident involving 37-year-old Joshua Eric Smith at a homeless camp in the woods on Alibrandi Road in Leesburg around 2:10 p.m. Thursday, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Smith’s girlfriend advised that the couple had gotten into a verbal and physical argument at the camp. They had been in a sexual relationship for about two years and had been living together in the woods for the same amount of time. She was currently two months pregnant with his baby, which he was aware of, the report said.
That day, she had just woken up from sleeping in the tent and was stepping out when Smith charged over at her. He asked her to repeat what she had said, sparking a short verbal argument. She kept telling him to back up and reminded him that she was pregnant, but he then shoved her with both hands to her chest, the report said.
His girlfriend was pushed back into the metal bed frame inside the tent, hitting her right knee and leaving a bruise. She told Smith that she was going to call the cops, and he said go ahead. He started hitting himself in the face, told her she was going to jail and left the area on foot, the report said.
Her teenage son was also at the camp during this incident, but he was asleep in his tent and did not see anything, the report said.
A search of the area yielded nothing until later that afternoon, when the girlfriend called 911 to say Smith had returned to the camp and was throwing things around. He left before law enforcement arrived, but the deputy found him walking on State Road 44 coming from the direction of the camp, the report said.
After being detained, Smith advised that he had argued with his girlfriend but never pushed her. He confirmed that he was aware she was pregnant, the report said.
Smith was arrested on charge of aggravated battery on a pregnant female (domestic). The New York native was booked at the Lake County Jail with bond set at $25,000.