Thomas Griffin (Polk County Jail).
A Florida teacher is behind bars after he allegedly barged into his ex-girlfriend’s home and assaulted her new boyfriend.
The woman recounted being at her home in Lake Wales on Saturday when she heard loud banging on her door, as per an arrest affidavit detailing probable cause. Upon answering the door, she was confronted by her ex-boyfriend, identified as Thomas Griffin, 51, who was demanding to know the whereabouts of her current boyfriend, according to the police.
Reportedly, Griffin forced his way inside the residence and proceeded to search for the new boyfriend, finding him seated on the couch. Allegedly, Griffin grabbed the man by his throat and forcefully shoved him against the wall, maintaining the pressure for approximately 10 seconds, resulting in the man having difficulty breathing, as stated in the affidavit.
More from Law&Crime: Bus driver stabs passenger in head after the rider attacks him over a stop, both men get arrested and charged: Cops
Following this, Griffin released his grip, allowing the victim to move away momentarily. However, Griffin pursued the man, pushing him in the chest and delivering a punch to his face, which caused the victim to tumble to the ground, as indicated by law enforcement officials. Griffin purportedly mounted the man and proceeded to strike him in the face, with the man unable to free himself. The woman intervened in the altercation, attempting to remove Griffin from the victim, prompting Griffin to flee the scene. Subsequently, law enforcement was contacted via 911. It was mentioned that the woman’s son was present during the incident but neither of them sustained injuries.
When deputies and paramedics arrived, the victim was in “obvious distress.” They transported him to the hospital. He had red marks around his neck.
Deputies obtained an arrest warrant for charges of burglary, battery by strangulation and false imprisonment. They went to his home but couldn’t find him. On Tuesday, they found him and took him to the Polk County Jail where he remains without bond.
According to the sheriff’s office, Griffin teaches at McLaughlin Middle School in Lake Wales. The school district placed Griffin on administrative leave while they conducted an internal investigation.
“The suspect forced his way into the home and violently attacked the victim. As a teacher, hopefully a former teacher, Griffin holds a position of trust in our community — a trust that has been severely broken. School students should not be exposed to this kind of potential volatile behavior,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a statement.
