GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Andy Mark Ward, 38, was arrested early this morning and charged with felony battery and resisting arrest after allegedly ripping his girlfriend’s teeth from her mouth.

An Alachua County Sheriff’s Deputy responded to an apartment in the Holly Heights neighborhood after the victim called 911. The victim told deputies that she and Ward had gotten into a verbal argument, then he wrestled her to the floor, put his fingers in her mouth, and ripped her top teeth out. The deputy wrote that she lost at least three teeth from her top jaw.

When a deputy made contact with Ward, he allegedly walked away, then tried to enter the apartment after being ordered to stay outside. He was reportedly subdued with a Taser but still allegedly refused to put his hands behind his back. He was eventually handcuffed and placed in a patrol vehicle.

Post Miranda, Ward reportedly said they had been arguing over infidelity and denied ever hitting the victim or pulling her teeth out.

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Ward has one felony conviction for armed robbery; he served a four-year prison sentence and was released in 2012. He was charged with domestic battery in 2021 and in 2022, but both cases were dropped.

Bail information is unavailable on weekends.

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.