Ocala, Florida — The Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrested a man they say assaulted a woman in front of her child as she attempted to do laundry.
MCSO Deputy Eduardo Bustamante-Munt reported that the victim had only been dating the man for three months.
The victim stated that she and her boyfriend, Jose Angel Garcia, 29, had been involved in a verbal argument inside her residence when it began to “get out of control.”
The victim told the deputy that when the argument became heated, she decided to go to a Laundromat so “things could cool off.”
The victim said that she left the residence with her 7-year-old daughter and went to the Senor Bubbles Laundromat.
A short time later, Garcia arrived at the Laundromat and started a second argument with the victim.
During the argument, the victim told Garcia that she did not like his attitude or the way he was treating her. She then told Garcia she was breaking up with him.
The victim told the deputy that Garcia then became enraged, snatched her by her hair, and dragged her around the Laundromat.
Unfortunately, the victim’s daughter witnessed the incident.
The victim was able to break free, at which time she attempted to dial 911 from her cell phone. However, Garcia grabbed the phone and slammed it on the ground, and it broke into multiple pieces.
The victim screamed at Garcia and told him to leave her alone, and that she was going to find a cop.
Garcia then went to his scooter, retrieved a screwdriver, and punctured the victim’s left front tire on her car.
Garcia then held the screwdriver in his hand and stated, “I will kill you, bi**h.”
According to reports, the victim then ran into a store where the clerk let her call 911.
Deputy Bustamante-Munt reported that the victim’s phone was shattered into multiple pieces. He also noted that the tire on the victim’s car was flat. Additionally, the deputy reported that he saw the victim’s hair had been pulled out and was in complete disarray.
Garcia told the deputy that he was arguing with the victim at the residence, when she decided to leave.
Garcia said that he followed her to the Laundromat because he “was not finished with her.” He stated that it made him upset that she walked out during the argument.
He said that when he arrived at the Laundromat, he confronted her, but she kept asking him to leave.
He told the deputy that after a short argument, the victim stated, “I am done with you.” Garcia said he then became angry.
“I didn’t hit her. I only held her while trying to reason with her,” Garcia told the deputy. “I took her cell phone because I did not understand why the cops needed to get involved.”
Garcia told the deputy that he punctured the victim’s tire because he didn’t want her to leave.
He denied that he had threatened to kill her with the screwdriver.
As the deputy was speaking with Garcia, he saw a screwdriver sticking out of his front pocket.
According to reports, when Deputy Bustamante-Munt told Garcia he was under arrest, he stated, “Wait, wait, wait.”
Garcia refused to place his hands behind his back, at which time Deputy Bustamante-Munt and Deputy Peters, who had also responded to the scene, grabbed Garcia’s arms and forced him to place them behind his back. He was then handcuffed.
Garcia was charged with Resisting Arrest, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, Battery, Property Damage over $200 (x2), and Obstructing Justice-Intimidate Threaten Witness.
He is currently being held on a $19,000 bond.
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