TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee man faces domestic battery charges after repeatedly punching his ex-girlfriend and choking her until she passed out when he saw her talking to another man.
Willie Francis, 42, was arrested by the Leon County Sheriff's Office on Monday.
On July 26, the Tallahassee Police Department responded to Virginia and Macomb Street in response to the victim saying she was beat up by her ex-boyfriend.
When officers arrived, they saw the victim sitting on the curb, holding her head in her hands.
When the victim looked up, officers saw she had a large visible black and blue swollen eye.
While talking with officers, the victim said her and a friend were hanging out, when Francis walked up and got mad she was talking to another man.
The victim stated Francis began yelling at her and repeatedly punched her in the head as well as her body.
She told officers she ran away, but Francis followed, continuing to punch her.
According to the police report, Francis caught her down the street and choked her until she passed out.
The victim's friend tried to stop Francis, but it didn't work.
She was able to call police and Francis left the area.
Officers saw that the victim had a lot of scratches around her neck with bruising and swelling on her face, neck, shoulders, and back.
The victim told officers that she and Francis had been dating and living together since the beginning of the year.
She stated that Francis has hit her before and he should not have contact with her.
A review of an open case for felony battery, found that Francis was ordered to have no contact with the victim as part of another domestic battery arrest on July 13.
Based on the evidence, Francis is being charged with domestic battery by strangulation and battery second or subsequent offense.
He was taken to the Leon County Detention Center and his bond has been set at $10,000.
