A Weirsdale man is accused of choking a woman while she was calling 911 to report he was battering her.
Cleveland Cornelius Williams, 37, of SE 134th Avenue, was charged with committing domestic battery by strangulation, domestic battery (second or subsequent offense), and obstructing justice by tampering in a third-degree felony proceeding.
The victim told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy on Tuesday that she and Williams got into an argument over him seeing another woman. She said Williams pushed her to the ground, straddled her body and struck her in the face with a closed fist, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The victim said she was able to get up and was calling 911 when Williams grabbed her by the throat, preventing her from being able to speak to the operator. She said she felt light-headed and began to lose consciousness, the report said.
The victim said Williams then left the residence, allowing her to speak to the operator. The deputy observed red marks around the victim’s throat and neck area, as well as a red mark on the left side of her face, according to the report.
Williams told the deputy that he and the victim got into a verbal argument and as it escalated, they lunged at each other. He said the victim struck him multiple times in the face, and that he put her in a neck hold to restrain her from hitting him and calling 911. The deputy did not observe any visible injuries on Williams’ face, the report said.
A computer check revealed Williams was convicted of battery in 2009 in Lake County. He’s currently being held in the Marion County Jail on $10,000 bond and will appear in Marion County Court on Oct. 29.