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Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Summerfield man jailed after being accused of punching female victim in mouth

A 45-year-old Summerfield man with several prior battery convictions was arrested after a female victim accused him of punching her in the mouth.

On Thursday, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a local residence in reference to a battery incident. Upon arrival, the female victim advised that she had been punched in the face by Jovan L. Reid while she was walking home.

Jovan L. Reid
Jovan L. Reid

The victim then clarified that she is currently homeless, and she was walking to her boyfriend’s house. She stated that Reid approached her and made a comment about how he was “getting back at her” for a previous incident when law enforcement had been called.

According to the victim, Reid proceeded to punch her in the mouth, and she fell to the ground. When she tried to call 911 on her cellphone, she stated that Reid took the cellphone and threw it into a wooded area that was nearby.

The victim got up and ran to her boyfriend’s home, and law enforcement was contacted. She told the deputy that one of her front teeth was moving inside her mouth due to the punch, and she had scrapes on her elbow and shin from the fall onto the ground.

The MCSO report indicated that the victim’s face had slight redness, though the deputy noted that her front tooth did not appear to move as she claimed. Scrapes on her knee and elbow were also observed, which the deputy noted was consistent with the victim’s statement.

The deputy also observed a spot in the road where all the victim’s belongings were scattered. The victim advised that this was the location where the battery had occurred.

At a neighboring residence, the deputy located Reid. He claimed that he was walking down the street when he spotted the victim, and they began to argue about previous issues. He told the deputy that the victim was the one who started the argument.

Reid claimed that the victim had slapped him on the head and shoved him. As a result, Reid advised that he slapped the victim and ran back to his home to call law enforcement. He denied throwing the victim’s cellphone.

The deputy observed a small cut on Reid’s hand, and he stated that the cut occurred when he struck the victim. He also told the deputy that the left side of his face was swollen due to the victim striking him, though the deputy did not see any noticeable swelling.

A criminal history search of Reid revealed that he had two previous convictions for battery in Marion County, according to the MCSO report.

Reid was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $2,000 bond. He is facing a felony charge for battery (second or subsequent offense).

A court date has been scheduled on Tuesday, June 14 at 9 a.m., according to jail records.