MARION COUNTY – A Port St. Lucie man is in the Marion County jail on charges of domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, tampering with a witness, and felony criminal mischief, along with a misdemeanor count of simple battery.
According to an arrest affidavit from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, Gavin Parker Johnson, 24, of the 1600 block of Southwest Burlington St., Port St. Lucie attacked an Ocala woman in her home, held her against her will and caused thousands of dollars in damage to her home between 11 p.m., Oct. 23 and 2 a.m., Oct. 24.
Marion County deputies responded to a home on Oct. 24 following a report that a woman covered in blood had shown up on a porch saying she had been beaten. The victim initially told a witness and responding deputies that someone had broken into her home and attacked her in her sleep, according to the arrest affidavit. She later identified the suspect as her boyfriend, Gavin Parker Johnson.
When deputies went to the victim’s residence, they found signs of forced entry, blood on walls and furniture, and roughly an inch of standing water throughout the home, according to the arrest affidavit. The bathroom and bedroom doors were broken, a fish tank was shattered, and the total damage was estimated at over $1,000. Johnson was found inside the home and taken into custody. Deputies observed scratches on his chest and arms, which he claimed came from the fish tank, according to the arrest affidavit.
The victim later told investigators that the attack began after she called Johnson’s grandfather out of concern for Johnson’s behavior, according to the arrest affidavit. She said Johnson became enraged, repeatedly struck her, and choked her several times until she lost consciousness. She also reported that he threatened to kill her if she contacted law enforcement and held her down when she tried to escape, according to the arrest affidavit.
The victim told deputies that she eventually managed to break a window and flee the house around 2 a.m. Deputies said she had severe bruising to her arms, legs, and face, and both of her eyes were swollen—one completely shut.
Johnson was arrested and booked into the Marion County Jail, where he remained as of Oct. 28 with no bond. He faces multiple felony charges, including domestic battery by strangulation; false imprisonment; tampering with a witness; and felony criminal mischief, along with a misdemeanor count of simple battery.
The case has been submitted to the State Attorney’s Office for prosecution.