A 24-year-old Ocala man was arrested after he allegedly strangled a pregnant woman and broke her pink iPhone worth more than $1,000.
The victim told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy that she dropped off her children on Monday at Dakota Wayne Carpenter’s residence, at 141 NE 47th Court, and returned a short time later when Carpenter called and asked her to bring medicine for the children. She said when she returned, Carpenter asked if she could take the children with her because he needed to drop his car off at the shop to have his transmission repaired, and she said she would not, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The victim said Carpenter started yelling at her and she decided to get her children out of the situation. She said she told the kids to get into the car, and Carpenter became irate and tried to pull them out of the vehicle. The victim said Carpenter was near the passenger door when she tried to grab her phone off the passenger seat, the report said.
The victim said Carpenter grabbed her arm, snatched her phone out of her hand and threw it across the yard. She said he then wrapped his arm around her throat and started to choke her. The victim said she was unable to breathe. She said she was able to move enough to bite Carpenter’s left arm and make him let go, according to the report.
The victim said Carpenter was calmed down by his roommate and she was able to leave with her children and call 911 once she arrived at a location that was redacted from the report. She said she had to wait to call 911 because Carpenter broke her pink iPhone XR valued at $1,200 when he threw it. The victim said the phone is no longer functional, the report said.
The victim was obviously pregnant. The deputy observed scratch marks on her left arm and a red scratch mark on the right side of her neck, according to the report.
Another deputy contacted Carpenter shortly after midnight Tuesday at the Circle K store at 15877 E. Hwy. 40 in Silver Springs. Carpenter said he asked the victim to bring medicine due to the children being sick. He said he became upset when he asked her to take the children back with her because he needed to get his transmission fixed, the report said.
Carpenter said when he was saying goodbye to the children, the victim grabbed his arm and bit his wrist. He denied battering her and taking her phone. The deputy observed a bite mark on the inside of Carpenter’s left forearm, according to the report.
Carpenter was charged with domestic battery by strangulation, aggravated battery of a pregnant victim, obstructing justice by tampering in a felony proceeding, and criminal mischief with property damage of more than $1,000. He’s being held in the Marion County Jail on $16,000 bond and will appear in Marion County Court on Nov. 10.