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In Gainesville, Florida, a 67-year-old man named Maurice Lee Jackson found himself in police custody following allegations of domestic aggravated battery. The incident, which unfolded last night, involved Jackson reportedly striking a woman with a stick, leading to injuries that necessitated medical attention.
Authorities from the Gainesville Police Department were alerted at approximately 9:45 p.m. on January 31. A concerned bystander had called in, reporting a violent altercation between a man and a woman in the 200 block of NE Waldo Road. Responding officers arrived promptly to find Jackson and the woman still present at the scene. The caller identified them as the individuals involved in the incident.
The victim recounted to the police that a verbal disagreement with Jackson escalated when she attempted to leave. She alleged that Jackson not only pushed her to the ground but also used force to prevent her from escaping. According to her statement, he then proceeded to punch her and strike her with a wooden stick until authorities intervened. The responding officer noted visible injuries; the woman’s arm appeared severely hurt, impairing her movement, and her lips were actively bleeding. She was subsequently taken to a hospital for necessary treatment.
Following his arrest and after being read his rights, Jackson initially denied any physical confrontation, suggesting instead that their argument stemmed from suspicions that she was purchasing drugs. However, his account shifted as he later admitted to having restrained the woman by the wrist, preventing her from leaving.
Post Miranda, Jackson reportedly denied that there had been any physical fight; he said he believed she was purchasing drugs, and they got into an argument. Jackson reportedly changed his story later to admit that he had prevented the victim from walking away and grabbed her by the wrist.
When an officer asked Jackson how the victim’s lip had been injured, Jackson denied hitting the victim. He reportedly admitted later that he may have accidentally head-butted the victim. He said the victim had a stick and he took it from her and threw it onto the ground, but he did not hit her with a stick. However, the officer noted that surveillance video showed Jackson standing over the victim while she was on the ground, raising a stick over his head and “violently” hitting her multiple times.
The officer noted that there were multiple fresh-cut sticks in the area that were about an inch in diameter and about two feet long, and due to the size of the sticks, Jackson could have caused great bodily harm or death to the victim if he had continued hitting her with the stick.
When an officer showed Jackson the surveillance video, he reportedly changed his story again and admitted to hitting the victim with the stick, but he said it was accidental; he reportedly admitted that he lost control during the incident.
A search incident to arrest reportedly produced a glass pipe, and post Miranda, Jackson reportedly said it was used to smoke crack, but he took it from the victim.
Jackson has been charged with domestic aggravated battery causing bodily harm, false imprisonment, and possession of drug paraphernalia. He has five felony convictions (two violent) and 10 misdemeanor convictions (three violent) and has served three state prison sentences, with his most recent release in 2017. Judge Gloria Walker ordered him held without bail pending a hearing on a motion from the State Attorney’s office to hold him without bail until trial; if the judge denies the motion, bail will be set at that hearing.
Articles about arrests are based on reports from law enforcement agencies. The charges listed are taken from the arrest report and/or court records and are only accusations. All suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.