A 36-year-old Ocklawaha man was arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office after he was accused of choking a woman for approximately 15 seconds while she was taking care of a baby.
On Wednesday, two Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a local residence in reference to a domestic battery incident that had allegedly just occurred. When the first deputy arrived on scene, contact was made with the female victim who advised that she was with a baby when the incident occurred.
According to the victim, the baby began to make noise, and this caused Hampton Mickler Miller to become “aggressive.” She advised that Miller proceeded to approach her from behind and he allegedly placed her in a chokehold, which restricted her ability to breathe.
The victim stated that she was choked by Miller for around 15 seconds. After the alleged attack, she advised that Miller went back to sleep, and she left the room to get away from him.
The second MCSO deputy arrived at the incident location. In the MCSO report, the second deputy noted that the victim did not appear to have any redness around her throat. However, when the second deputy looked at the victim’s eyes, the veins in the “white areas of her eyes” appeared to be “busted.”
Both deputies made contact with Miller inside the residence, and he stepped outside for an interview. According to the MCSO report, Miller initially stated that he had gotten into a verbal argument with the victim, and he claimed that nothing else had occurred. He then told the deputies that the victim had grabbed his arms and was “shoving on him” during the incident.
After being read his Miranda rights, Miller denied the allegations that he had choked the victim. When asked who had gotten physical first, Miller stated that he had grabbed the victim by her arms to move her away from the baby so he could change the baby’s diaper.
The second deputy then asked if Miller’s hand placement had been high enough when he grabbed the victim to be misconstrued as him choking her, and Miller advised that “it was possible.”
Due to the victim having signs of strangulation, along with Miller’s statements to the deputies, Miller was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held without bond. He is facing a felony charge for committing domestic battery by strangulation.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.