A 55-year-old Ocala man was arrested on a felony battery charge after his girlfriend accused him of choking her during an argument over a grilled cheese sandwich.
On Tuesday, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office corporal responded to a local residence in reference to a domestic battery incident. According to the arrest report, a witness had received a call from the female victim who advised that she had been in an altercation with her boyfriend, Michael John Canzoneri.
The witness informed MCSO that they arrived at the incident location and observed red marks on the victim’s chest and neck. According to a statement from the witness, Canzoneri soon arrived on scene and began yelling at the victim.
The corporal made contact with the victim who stated that she had been living with her boyfriend, Canzoneri, for many years. She advised that Canzoneri drank alcoholic beverages on the day of the incident and “became irate with her over a grilled cheese (sandwich),” according to the report.
During the altercation, the victim stated that Canzoneri grabbed her by the neck and began pushing her around. She further stated that Canzoneri’s elbow was also pressed into the center of her chest at the same time, which restricted her ability to breathe. The report stated that the incident ended when Canzoneri “stormed out of the house.”
The corporal noted in the report that the victim had red marks around the front of her neck that “appeared to be fresh.” The victim also had red marks in the center of her chest and “finger pad shaped bruising” on her left shoulder.
The report stated that Canzoneri exited the home and made contact with the corporal in the front yard. After being read his Miranda rights, Canzoneri claimed that the incident was “verbal only,” and he stated that he had left the area to avoid a physical altercation.
When asked about the marks on the victim’s neck and chest, Canzoneri told the corporal that he did not know how the victim got those marks, according to the report.
Canzoneri was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail, where he is currently being held without bond. He is being charged with committing domestic battery by strangulation.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.