A family brawl over a court case landed a 300-pound Leesburg woman behind bars.
Michael Anthony Butcher, 48, had driven 22-year-old Alissa Butcher on Tuesday to the Lake County Courthouse in Tavares. Alissa had sought an injunction to prevent a woman from stalking her. The judge denied Alissa’s petition. When the two arrived at their home in the 3500 block of Silver Oak Drive in Leesburg, Alissa began arguing with 45-year-old Jodie Butcher and Michael regarding the case. Alissa, who weighs in excess of 300 pounds, according to the arrest report grabbed Jodie’s right thumb and bent it backward to the point that Jodie felt it was either broken or dislocated. When Michael saw the attack on his wife, he grabbed Alissa’s hair and threw her on the floor. Michael then struck Alissa several times in the face and head, according to an arrest report from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office.
Shortly after the exchange of blows, Michael and Jodie left to pick up a minor child from school. While they were gone Alissa called the Lake County Sheriff’s Office for assistance. When the deputy came to the home, Alissa told him that Michael had pulled her down and struck her in the face. She did not mention grabbing Jodie’s thumb. The deputy took pictures of the injuries to her face.
When Michael and Jodie returned home, the deputy asked Michael and Jodie what had happened. Michael admitted that when he saw his wife being injured, he grabbed Alissa by her hair, flung her to the floor and punched her several times in the face with his fists. Jodie told the deputy that Alissa had grabbed her thumb and that her husband had intervened. The deputy noted in his report that her thumb appeared to have been injured as it was swollen and bruised.
Both Alissa and Michael were placed under arrest for domestic battery. Alissa’s bond was set at $500 and Michael’s was set at $1,000 which the Ohio native posted.
