An Orlando man was arrested after allegedly punching his girlfriend while stealing her phone and purse in front of Kangaroo Express.
An officer responded to Kangaroo Express, located at 1331 W. North Blvd., regarding a battery complaint around 2:38 p.m. Monday, according to an arrest report from the Leesburg Police Department. Dispatch advised that the caller reported being hit on the head and having her purse stolen.
Upon arrival, the officer spoke with the victim who stated she had been dating 18-year-old Nathaniel Williams for about three months. The incident happened at McDonald’s, located at 1012 N. 14th St. He became angry because he suspected she was texting another man on her phone, the report said.
Williams began slapping the victim in the face continuously. He then took her phone to check who she was texting and ran away toward Kangaroo Express with it. She followed him to get her phone back, the report said.
While at Kangaroo Express, Williams grabbed the victim and punched her on the side of the face. She was holding her purse at the time, and he snatched it from her hands before running away. She went into the gas station and used the business phone to contact law enforcement, the report said.
The victim advised that her iPhone XR, valued at about $320, and her brown Jordan purse, valued at around $80, were taken. Additionally, her Florida ID along with debit and credit cards were inside the purse, the report said.
Officers later contacted Williams at 1107 W. North Blvd. He was read his rights, which he understood, and he agreed to talk. He stated he grabbed the victim by the hands, but he maintained that he did not commit battery against her, the report said.
Williams was still arrested and searched, during which they found his wallet in the front right pocket of his pants. Inside the wallet were the victim’s ID, four of her credit cards and her social security card. All of these items had been in her purse and should not have been in his possession, the report said.
Williams claimed the victim entrusted him with her belongings, but she denied giving him the items found in his possession. He told the officers that the victim’s phone and purse were in their hotel room at the Rodeway Inn, located at 1115 W. North Blvd. He could not explain how her property ended up in that room, the report said.
With the victim’s permission, the officers entered the hotel room and found her purse on the dresser. It appeared that the purse had been emptied out. The victim identified that the items missing from her purse were in Williams’ wallet, but the officers were unable to find her phone, the report said.
While on scene, the officers observed the victim had a minor scratch on her nose and a small bump on the left side of her forehead, the report said.
Williams was subsequently arrested on charges of simple battery (dating) and robbery (sudden snatching with no weapon). He was transported to Lake County Jail with bond set at $3,500.