A Dunnellon man was charged with domestic battery after he allegedly grabbed a woman by both corners of her mouth, fish hooked his fingers inside her lips and pulled in opposite directions in an action commonly used to stretch the mouth to mimic a smiling face.
The victim told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy that on Sunday afternoon, she and 44-year-old Antonio Cordero Lopez got into an argument in their living room. She said during the argument, Lopez wrapped his arms around her body and squeezed her, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The victim said she yelled for Lopez to stop and let her go. She said he started yelling profanities at her. The victim said she was able to get away from Lopez, but he tried to wrap his arms around her again. She said she pushed him to get away from him, the report said.
The victim said Lopez pushed her onto the living room sofa, got on top of her and put all his weight on her chest area, making it difficult for her to breathe. She said she was able to use her legs to push him off her, according to the report.
The victim said she tried to run to the front door, but Lopez was able to grab her, wrap his arms around her body and squeeze her. She said he grabbed her by her hair and pushed her to the ground. The victim said she struck her head on a coffee table. The victim said that is when Lopez got on top of her and stretched her mouth, the report said.
The victim said she was able to break away and leave the residence in her vehicle and call law enforcement. She said she may have scratched Lopez’s mouth while she tried to push him away as he was attacking her, according to the report.
The deputy observed scape marks on both of the victim’s knees and her left elbow. She said she got the scrape marks when Lopez pushed her to the ground by her hair. The deputy felt a quarter-sized bump on the back of the victim’s head, which she said was from her hitting the coffee table. The victim also had a small cut on the left corner of her mouth, which she said happened when Lopez stretched her mouth, the report said.
The deputy responded to the incident location and spoke with Lopez. With another deputy helping translate his words from English to Spanish, Lopez said the victim became irate with him and punched him in the face. He said he defended himself by pushing her onto the ground. Lopez said he held the victim to the ground but didn’t hit her, according to the report.
Lopez was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was released early Tuesday on $500 bond. He’ll answer to the battery charge in Marion County Court on April 14.