Suspect covered in blood punches Hernando County deputy in face as unconscious woman lies nearby: Sheriff
Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis holds an image of Jamie Lee Allison Jr., who is accused of punching a deputy investigating a domestic violence incident. Courtesy: Hernando County Sheriff's Office
DADE CITY, Fla. - A deputy on proactive patrol was forced into a violent confrontation Tuesday while responding to a severe domestic dispute in the Riverdale neighborhood, according to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office.
Riverdale neighborhood violence
What we know:
A deputy patrolling the Riverdale subdivision said he was flagged down by a neighbor who reported a violent domestic dispute at a nearby home shortly after midnight on Tuesday. When the deputy knocked on the door, 36-year-old Jamie Lee Allison Jr. answered covered in blood, with an unconscious, blood-covered woman lying on the floor behind him, according to the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff Al Nienhuis said Allison immediately started punching the deputy in the face, triggering an intense struggle. Nienhuis said the deputy deployed 10 Taser cartridges, but they had little to no effect on the suspect. A neighbor stepped in to help the deputy subdue Allison, according to the sheriff.
Jamie Lee Allison Jr. is facing several charges after investigators say he punched a deputy who was investigating a domestic violence incident. Courtesy: Hernando County Sheriff's Office.
Witnesses inside the home said a marital dispute turned physical when Allison battered the woman until she lost consciousness. Allison was injured during the violent fight before the deputy arrived and broke his wrists, Nienhuis stated. Paramedics took the woman to an area hospital, where she is expected to recover.
Investigators said Allison tore the deputy's radio off his belt during the attack. He is now charged with felony aggravated battery, felony domestic battery by strangulation, felony battery on a law enforcement deputy, felony resisting a deputy with violence and felony depriving the deputy of a communication device.
What we don't know:
Authority figures have also not released the official condition of the deputy or the woman, but said they are expected to be okay.
Critical presence
What they're saying:
Sheriff Al Nienhuis emphasized how critical the deputy's presence and the neighbor's quick action were during the late-night incident.
"It was really by the grace of God the deputy happened to be going down this street and there was definitely a cop there when we needed because who knows what would have happened inside that house had the neighbor not flagged us down," Nienhuis said. "The neighbor just minded his own business and of course, had the deputy not been here… When most of us were sleeping there was a deputy patrolling the Riverdale neighborhood and he actually maybe preventing something much worse for our victim."
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from Hernando County Sheriff Al Nienhuis, who detailed the domestic dispute and arrest during an official briefing, as well as incident reports provided by the Hernando County Sheriff's Office.