A Silver Springs man was arrested after a spat with his newlywed wife in a Wawa parking lot.
Matthew E. Rose, 35, was charged with simple domestic battery after the incident, which happened shortly before 8 a.m. Tuesday at the Wawa at 3312 W. Silver Springs Blvd.
An Ocala Police officer responded to a report that the victim’s husband had spit on her, broken a phone, and was locked out of the vehicle and trying to break a window to get back in. Upon arrival, the officer observed a tan Chevrolet SUV parked on the east side of the business and Rose standing directly in front of the vehicle, according to the OPD report.
Rose told the officer that he and his wife got into a verbal altercation over money when he got mad and started throwing items within the vehicle. He said he didn’t make physical contact with the victim and he didn’t believe anything he threw hit her. Rose said he just wanted to go home. The officer asked for Rose’s phone number and he replied he just got a phone and broke it during the incident. The officer observed a small cut to Rose’s left wrist, but Rose was unsure what it was from, the report said.
The victim told the officer that she and Rose have been together for about two years and got married in November. She said she was driving down the road when Rose pushed her and spit on the right side of her face. The victim said she pulled into Wawa because it was the first place she saw, and upon looking at Rose, he spit on her again. She said Rose got out of the vehicle and she locked him out while contacting the police, according to the report.
Because the incidents happened inside the vehicle, no video evidence or independent witnesses were available. Although the victim appeared to be extremely distraught, the officer did not observe any physical injuries and the victim had no complaints of pain, the report said.
While being taken to the Marion County Jail, Rose said he felt suicidal and his life was over because of the incident. He was released Wednesday on his own recognizance and will appear in Marion County Court on Jan. 14.