TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee man was arrested for hitting a woman over not washing the dishes.
Jerry Cole, 43, was arrested by the Leon County Sheriff's Office for hitting the victim in the head after the two got into an argument over washing the dishes.
On Nov. 21, deputies received a call to Roweling Oaks Court in response to a domestic situation.
Cole and the victim were at their residence on Rockingham road, when the two got into an argument over the victim not washing the dishes.
The victim stated that Cole began to yell at her and slapped her on the back of the head twice for not washing the dishes when Cole asked her to.
The victim asked Cole to calm down several times but he continued to escalate the situation. The victim then put her phone in the front pocket of her sweatshirt since she was worried Cole would take the phone from her.
According to the victim, Cole frequently takes her phone so that she is unable to call anyone when he gets angry at her.
The victim went into the bathroom and sat on the toilet. That's when, according to the police report, Cole attempted to take the phone away from from her by grabbing the phone through the pocket of her sweatshirt.
Cole refused to let go of the victim, so the victim bit Cole on the finger to get away.
During the altercation, the victim's sweatshirt was ripped at the seam of the front pocket.
Cole let go of the victim after she bit him and Cole yelled, "I'm going to knock your f****ing teeth out," and began to punch the victim in the face repeatedly.
The victim was unsure how many times Cole hit her, but she said it "was at least three times."
The victim was able to get away from Cole, get into her car, and drive to her mother's house. That's where the victim called 911 and waited for deputies to arrive.
When deputies arrived, the victim's forehead was swollen and bleeding with a knot two inches wide in the center of her forehead.
The victim's lip was swollen and bleeding from the inside as well.
While talking to deputies, Cole said him and the victim got into an argument over an unknown subject.
Cole stated, "I don't know why we're fighting. I never know with her."
According to Cole, at some point during the argument he put his finger in the victim's face and that's when the victim bit him on the finger.
Cole said that after the victim bit him, she got into her car and left the house.
Cole stated he never placed his hands on her at any point during the argument and was unable to explain how the victim was injured.
Cole also denied attempting to take the phone from the victim and was unable to explain how her sweatshirt was ripped.
Based on the evidence, Cole was arrested for domestic battery. Due to multiple prior battery convictions the charge was upgraded to felony domestic battery.
Cole was transported to the Leon County Detention Facility.
Cole was bonded out on Nov. 21 and his first court appearance was set for March 9 at 9 a.m.
Cole failed to appear for his court appearance and was arrested by the LCSO for failure to appear.
