A Belleview man was arrested after he allegedly strangled a woman during an argument last Sunday night and then battered her again when she tried to leave on Monday.
Levi Justin Carter, 39, of SE 126th Place, was charged with domestic battery by strangulation and battery (second or subsequent offense). He was previously convicted of battery in Marion County in February 2001, according to court records.
The victim told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy that she and Carter were in an argument at around 10 p.m. Sunday and she went to another trailer on the property because she feared for her safety. She said was laying in bed when Carter came over, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The victim said Carter got on top of her and started punching her. She was unable to say whether Carter struck her with an open hand or closed fist, and she was unsure of how many times Carter hit her because she was trying to defend herself. The victim said at one point, Carter placed his forearm on her neck to choke her. She said she was unable to breathe and urinated on herself while trying to get free, the report said.
The victim said she was finally able to get free from Carter by pulling his hair and shoving him with her legs. She said she left the residence but didn’t call law enforcement because she didn’t want Carter to go to jail, according to the report.
The victim said she later returned home and slept in the extra trailer. She said Carter woke her up screaming at around 10 a.m. and was holding what she believed was an air-powered pellet pistol. The victim said Carter showed the pistol to her but did not point it at her and did not threaten her with it, the report said.
The victim said Carter then returned to the main trailer on the property. She said she tried to leave and was holding a knife for her protection because she was afraid Carter would try to harm her again. The victim said as she was walking towards the gate to leave, Carter confronted her, grabbed her by the arms and threw her to the ground near the south part of the residence. She said Carter grabbed the car keys out of her pocket and went back inside the residence while she walked down the road and called 911, according to the report.
The deputy spoke with Carter, who denied there was any type of physical altercation. He said he and the victim were in a verbal argument over him wanting to quit using drugs. The deputy observed a bandage on Carter’s right arm and a bandage on his left middle finger. Asked about the injuries, Carter said he accidentally fell o a knife while arguing with the victim, the report said.
The victim had multiple injuries, including a fresh red mark on the center of her forehead, a bruise and swelling on the right side of her forehead above her eyebrow, a 3- to 4-inch-long scratch on her left lower torso and a freshly bruised and swollen lower lip, according to the report.
Carter was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was released Wednesday on $10,000 bond.