Navy Veteran Arrested for Domestic Violence
Alachua County Sheriff’s Office deputies arrested Jarmaine Lamar Williams, 44, early Tuesday morning and charged him with one count of misdemeanor battery, one count of felony domestic battery by strangulation, one count of false imprisonment and two counts of child neglect without great bodily harm.
According to the arrest report, the adult victim sent a text to her mom advising that Williams had punched her in the face, strangled her multiple times and pushed her head into a dog cage.
The victim’s mother contacted police and told them about how Williams was abusing her daughter.
Deputies made contact with the victim who said she was kneeling down cleaning up after her puppy when Williams placed his hands around her neck and choked her, causing her to vomit. The victim was only able to free herself when her children walked into the room and began yelling at Williams while pushing on his leg and telling him to stop.
Following the altercation, Williams reportedly placed the children in front of the television and walked back in the room with the victim, locking the door behind him. Williams reportedly got in the victim’s face and yelled at her to unlock her phone before choking her, slamming her to the ground, and pressing his knee on her head to the point she couldn’t breathe.
The victim told police she started having a panic attack, and Williams released her and started consoling her, despite just physically battering her moments ago.
When the victim attempted to leave, Williams reportedly chased her down to the sidewalk and threatened her that “things were going to be worse” if she didn’t come back inside.
Once back inside, Williams reportedly told the victim he “knew he was going to get into trouble so he should have killed her and just [take] the consequences."
Williams then stepped outside to make a phone call, at which time the victim reported the abuse to her mother.
The Alachua County Jail is holding Williams on a $155,000 bond; however, his defense counsel made a motion to reduce it.
The motion states Williams “is a veteran, having been honorably discharged from his service in the United States Navy.”
The motion also details that Williams “has strong ties to the community in Reddick, where he was born and raised. For over 65 years, [Williams’] family has owned the land whereon [he] resides. [Williams] is an employee of the United States Postal Service and works at the Reddick post office.”
The court will hear Williams’ bond motion on Monday.
