A Belleview woman was arrested recently after she allegedly struck a man friend in the throat and tried to choke him during a spat over a cell phone.
The victim told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy that he and Kristi Annette Abbott had been arguing over three days, mostly about money. The victim said they got into a huge verbal argument, and he and a female eyewitness left the incident location and got a ride to the parking lot of the Family Dollar store to get away from Abbott, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The victim said Abbott got a ride to the store, located at 10040 E. Highway 25, and started another verbal argument. He said at one point he was on the phone with his sister and Abbott asked to speak to her, so he allowed her. The victim said when the call was over, he tried to get the phone back and Abbott tried to leave the location in her vehicle, the report said.
The victim said he jumped on Abbott’s vehicle so she wouldn’t leave with his phone. He said he grabbed Abbott’s phone and Abbott stopped the vehicle. The victim said they traded phones and got into yet another verbal argument. He said Abbott then struck him in the throat with one hand and tried to choke him. The victim said Abbott struck him hard enough to push him up against her car. He said she then released him, got into her vehicle and fled the scene, according to the report.
The deputy observed the victim had a small laceration on the right side of his neck that was bleeding. He also had a red mark just below the victim’s right ear on his neck. The injuries were consistent with the victim’s account of the incident, the report said.
The witness said Abbott showed up to the parking lot and started a verbal argument with the victim. She said Abbott had the victim’s cell phone and tried to leave with it. The witness said the victim jumped onto Abbott’s vehicle and tried to get his phone back. She said Abbott started another argument with the victim and struck him twice in the neck, according to the report.
The deputy responded to Abbott’s residence and spoke with her. She said she tired to leave the scene with the victim’s phone and he jumped onto her vehicle. Abbott said the victim took her phone and they ultimately traded phones, the report said.
Abbott said the victim started an argument and was in her face. She said the victim spit in her face and she “pushed” him away from her. Abbott also said she squeezed the victim’s throat and she pushed in an upwards direction toward the victim’s head/neck area, according to the report.
Abbott was charged with simple battery / dating violence and taken to the Marion County Jail. She was released on $250 bond and will appear in Marion County Jail on Sept. 8.