A Leesburg man was arrested after allegedly accusing his girlfriend of taking his things and attacking her over it at Publix.
Officers responded to Publix, located at 717 N 14th Street, regarding a battery in progress between a man and a woman directly outside the store around 7:42 p.m. Thursday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. The employees were able to secure the woman inside while the man, later identified as 32-year-old Lorenzo Dewayne Wright, remained outside.
One of the officers met with the female victim and witnesses who advised Wright was walking away. Once the witnesses pointed him out, the officer observed him walking eastbound in the parking lot toward Dunkin Donuts and Taco Bell. His description was given to other officers through dispatch, and they began to search the businesses within the plaza, the report said.
During this time, the victim cried and appeared to be distraught, but emergency medical services were refused. The officer did not see any physical injuries to her, the report said.
The victim advised that Wright, her boyfriend of five months, followed her into the main entrance of Publix where the carts were located. He began yelling at her, asking why she stole his things. She kept telling him that she did not take his belongings and to leave her alone, the report said.
This made Wright upset, and he started throwing the victim’s items at her. She had to block herself while yelling at him to leave her alone as she began walking southbound on the sidewalk to leave the store. He still followed her, grabbed her arms, threw her to the ground and dragged her. Wright continued throwing the items that were scattered around at the victim and asking for his things back, the report said.
The victim further explained that she and Wright were both trying to get admitted into a detox facility, and he was not acting like himself. They had been living in hotels and were in the process of finding a new one that day because they had nowhere else to go, the report said.
A witness advised that she noticed the altercation happening between the victim and Wright when they came into the store and immediately told her manager to call the police. She heard Wright scream at the victim to leave him alone and watched the victim run out of the store. Two witnesses followed the couple outside, and when they turned the corner, they saw Wright on top of the victim, the report said.
Wright was punching the victim with closed fists, screaming, “I didn’t do nothing to her,” and “I just wanted my stuff.” Both witnesses stated a bystander in a truck tried to get Wright to stop hitting the victim by yelling at him to stop, which he did. This allowed the victim to run back inside and Wright to leave the area before police arrived, the report said.
A K-9 unit searched the area until he looked inside Taco Bell and saw Wright sitting in a corner booth, trying to slouch down to avoid contact. However, the officer confirmed Wright’s identity with the description given through dispatch. The officer then approached Wright and grabbed hold of his wrist to detain him as he began issuing commands, the report said.
Wright tensed up and began pulling away from the officer, leading to a struggle at the entryway of the business. He resisted without violence but eventually complied, the report said.
Later in booking, Wright made multiple comments about not meaning to hurt the victim by pushing her and just wanting his things back. He confirmed they had been in a relationship for the past five months and living together as a family wherever they could find lodging, the report said.
Wright was charged with simple battery (domestic) and resisting (obstructing without violence). He was transported to Lake County Jail with bond set at $2,000.
