A 23-year-old Belleview man with an extensive arrest history is back in jail after an ugly argument with a lady friend over a Facebook post.
Johnny Shayne Simpson was charged with domestic battery (second or subsequent offense) and violating his bond for a February arrest on charges of battery on a law-enforcement officer and battery on an EMS. Marion County Jail records show Simpson with nine prior arrests since 2015. He was convicted of battery in April 2015.
The victim told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy that Simpson came home from work and started a verbal altercation with her about her Facebook post. She said they continued to argue outside the residence and she told him to get away from her. The victim said Simpson then stepped toward her in an aggressive manner and started screaming in her face, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The victim said she pushed Simpson in the chest to get him away from her and he then slapped her head with his hand. She said she was in fear during the incident, the report said.
The victim’s roommate said she was outside the residence and couldn’t see anything, but she heard the victim yelling, “get your hands off of me.” The witness said Simpson then came inside and started arguing with her. She said she told Simpson she would be calling the police. The witness said Simpson’s hand made contact with her face as he was swinging at her phone, but she didn’t want to press charges, according to the report.
After being read his Miranda warning, Simpson told the deputy that he and the victim argued over a Facebook post but the dispute did not turn physical. Once at the Marion County Jail, he said the victim hit him first because she was in fear and that he “nudged” and “bumped” her shoulder a few times, but he did not admit to slapping or punching her in the head, the report said.
Simpson is being held on $10,000 bond and will appear in Marion County Court on July 14.