MELISSA MIHM
Alligator Staff Writer
mmihm@alligator.org
A Gainesville man was arrested early Friday after Gainesville Police said he beat up his girlfriend and threatened to slit her throat in her sleep.
Matthew John Schaller, 30, got into an argument with his girlfriend — whom he has two children with — around 3 a.m. at their home, located at 4455 SW 34th St. During the fight, the woman told police that Schaller hit her on the side of her head.
The woman then went upstairs to get away from Schaller, but he followed and yelled at her. He then chased the woman back downstairs and started to punch her on the arms and legs, according to the police report.
Schaller then grabbed the woman from behind, wrapped his arm around her neck and choked her, causing her to briefly pass out and fall to the ground. She told police she hit her head during the fall.
The woman said Schaller then grabbed a knife and told her he was going to cut her throat in her sleep.
While holding the knife, the woman said Schaller forced her to write a note giving him permission to leave the home with their children. She said Schaller also held a Taser in her face and threatened to hurt her with it.
The fight with Schaller left the woman with red and bruised knees and knuckles, a swollen hand and scratches on her right arm, according to the report
Schaller was arrested on charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery and domestic battery by strangulation. He is being held on a $25,000 bond.
♣♣♣
A 62-year-old man was arrested early Sunday morning after police said he woke up his girlfriend in her sleep and began attacking her.
Shortly before 5 a.m., Theodore Roosevelt Wilson approached the woman as she was sleeping in their home, 3020 SW Archer Road. He began arguing with her and dragged her out of bed.
Once out of bed, Wilson pushed her to the floor. The woman said Wilson then grabbed a glass lamp from a nearby night stand and smashed her over the head with it, shattering the lamp and cutting the woman’s ear and shoulder, the report said.
The woman said Wilson then started punching her on the head and body. He then placed his hands around her neck and began to strangle her.
The woman said she was in fear for her life, so she fled the apartment and called for help.
When the woman returned home, GPD arrived and said she had a bruise on her chest and a swollen face. She then told police Wilson regularly smokes crack cocaine and proceeded to show them his crack pipe stash.
Wilson was arrested on charges of aggravated battery, domestic battery by strangulation and possession of drug paraphernalia. His bond has not been set.
Wilson was also arrested in 2013 and 2008 on charges of domestic battery, according to Alachua County public records.
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 11/17/2014]
