VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. – A man accused of holding his girlfriend hostage until he was arrested at a DeLand veterinary clinic appeared before a judge on Thursday.
Jeremy Floyd, 39, pleaded not guilty to charges of aggravated assault, false imprisonment, domestic battery and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.
The arraignment came nearly a month after Floyd's girlfriend slipped a note to staff at DeLand Animal Hospital that said, "Call the cops. My boyfriend is threatening me. He has a gun. Please don't let him know."
The victim told News 6 that after two days of being assaulted by Floyd, she convinced him to bring her dog to the veterinarian. She told staff that she thought her dog had an ear infection, but in reality she was worried his ear had been grazed by a bullet inside their home.
"I wrote it on my hand. Just took off my bank note and wrote it and then, my handwriting isn't usually that sloppy," the victim said.
Floyd was arrested after staff called 911. DeLand police found a loaded firearm on the suspect.
The victim was treated at Florida Hospital DeLand for a head injury, a black eye and bruised arms.
According to deputies, Floyd called the victim 47 times from jail in the three days following his arrest.
An additional charge of stalking was filed and Floyd is scheduled to be arraigned on that charge early Monday.