Alachua County Man Arrested for Domestic Battery by Strangulation

Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Rohan Gary Palmer, 60, early Thursday morning on a count of domestic battery by strangulation.

According to the arrest report, Palmer returned to his residence when he observed the victim lying on the couch with a female friend.

Palmer reportedly became angry and told the friend to leave.

The victim told police that after the friend left, Palmer grabbed her necklace and ripped it off her neck before choking her to the point she felt like she couldn’t breathe.

Palmer reportedly told police that the “confrontation was only verbal."

Deputies observed physical injuries on the victim.

Deputies made contact with the friend, who said Palmer came in the house yelling and telling her to leave. The friend said she left before the battery occurred.

In Alachua County, Palmer has two prior misdemeanor cases for domestic violence from 2022, but both were dropped before an arrest was made, and charges were never formally filed.

Palmer’s current case is his first felony case in Alachua County.

Outside the county, court records show Palmer has a criminal history, but it’s from over a decade ago, and details are unclear.

The Alachua County Jail is holding Palmer on a $75,000 bond.