Local & State Headlines

Lee man arrested for assualt

• A Leesburg woman told police she was head-butted and choked during an argument Thursday, reports show.

J.D. Sumner

LEESBURG — A Leesburg man was jailed after his girlfriend told deputies that he assaulted her to the point she lost consciousness during an argument Thursday night, according to department records.

Travis Lee Cardiello, 24, of Leesburg, was charged with aggravated assault and simple battery and was taken to the Lee County Jail.

According to an incident report filed with the Lee County Sheriff’s Office, Cardiello’s girlfriend, Tasia Nance, told investigators that the two got involved in an argument that escalated to violence.

Nance told deputies that during the argument, Cardiello head-butted her and then grabbed her around the neck and began choking her when she lost consciousness and her head struck the ground, according to the report.

Nance said that after she came to, Cardiello continued the argument before leaving in a 2006 Ford F-150 pickup truck, the report says.

Deputies wrote in the report that they did speak with Cardiello who told them that he did put his hands on Nance’s shoulders, but that she then passed out and hit the ground. He then helped her back to her feet, thinking she was playing around.

After speaking with Cardiello, deputies arrested him and took him to the Lee County Jail where warrants were filed Friday.

More Headlines>>