Chiefland Man Arrested for Domestic Battery in Gainesville

Dezmon Jovan Flanders, 33, was arrested on Sunday and charged with domestic battery by strangulation and domestic battery by a repeat offender. 

The victim stated she and Flanders were arguing about finances when he pushed her, causing her to fall into a staircase. Flanders began choking the victim, obstructing her ability to breathe. The victim went to get up, and Flanders pushed her onto a couch and choked her again. 

The victim had visible scratch marks on her neck. 

Footage from a living room camera showed Flanders standing over the victim aggressively while she covered her head with her hands. The entire altercation was not caught on camera. 

Flanders initially denied touching the victim. After he was read his Miranda rights, Flanders stated he “pushed the victim because she was not allowing him to leave the apartment.” 

Flanders called his father on the phone and reportedly stated, “I’m going to jail because I put my hands on her.”

Flanders’ arrest report states he resides in Chiefland, but he has a history in Alachua County with five prior domestic battery charges. They’ve all been dropped.  

Flanders has one domestic battery conviction out of Chiefland in Levy County Court for a 2012 battery case. 

Flanders has no bond pending a pretrial detention motion by the State Attorney’s Office.