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Friday, March 29, 2024

Ocklawaha man accused of headbutting woman over food stamp card

Walter Lewis Howe

An Ocklawaha man with a history of domestic violence was arrested after he allegedly headbutted her in the nose during a dispute over a food stamp card.

Walter Lewis Howe, 37, of SE 139th Court, was charged with domestic battery (second or subsequent offense). He was released in April after spending more than seven months in the Marion County Jail for domestic battery and preventing the victim from calling 911. Howe was also charged twice with domestic battery in 2018, according to jail records.

A pair of Marion County sheriff’s deputies responded Thursday afternoon to Howe’s residence, where the victim she and Howe were arguing over a food stamp card. She said Howe became irate and headbutted her with his forehead in the bridge of her nose in an aggressive manner, according to the sheriff’s office report.

The victim said Howe has been using methamphetamine for the last two weeks and was “coming down” off the narcotic. She said Howe then pushed her through the front door of the residence and onto the floor. The victim said she cut her ankle on the doorway when Howe pushed her, the report said.

The victim said she went to a camper on the property to be safe. She said he followed her to the camper, got up in her face and was yelling at her and continued to push her. The victim said that is when she called for law enforcement, according to the report.

The deputy observed the victim’s nose was blue and swollen. She had a small laceration on her left ankle that was consistent with her report. Medical personnel arrived on the scene and told the deputy that the victim’s nose was possibly broken, the report said.

Howe told the deputy nothing physical had happened and the altercation was verbal only. He was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he is being held without bond. He will appear in Marion County Court on Nov. 17.