MARION COUNTY, Fla, – A master sergeant in the Marion County Sheriff’s Office was arrested Thursday after a domestic violence attack, according to a news release.
Deputies said Joshua Sonnes, 45, was arrested at a home in Marion County.
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Investigators said Sonnes and the victim had been in a verbal fight for several days, which culminated in Sonnes hitting the victim with an HDMI cable.
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The victim told deputies Sonnes had battered her several times before — tackling her, hitting her in the head with a piece of wood and throwing a brick at her, which damaged the victim’s car, according to the probable cause affidavit. Deputies said a witness backed up the victim’s claims.
According to the sheriff’s office, Sonnes has been with the office for 17 years and was assigned to the Detention Bureau.
“It devastates me that one of our own stands accused of domestic violence,” Sheriff Billy Woods said in a statement. “As the Sheriff of Marion County, I will always strive to protect and seek justice for every victim, in particular victims of domestic violence. I will continue to hold my employees to the highest standards of conduct and integrity. Anybody found to have violated the laws we have sworn to uphold will be dealt with accordingly and be made to face the consequences of their actions.”
Sonnes is on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of the case.
Sonnes faces a charge of domestic battery.
Victims of domestic violence can call the National Domestic Violence Hotline, available 24 hours a day, at 800-799-7233. In Central Florida, the Harbor House offers a 24-hour confidential crisis hotline at 407-886-2856.
The National Network to End Domestic Violence, or NNED, said there are “red flags,” or warning signs, of controlling behaviors that could led to an abusive relationship, including if a partner is excessively jealous, wants to know where you are at all times and insists that you stop seeing friends and family. Read the full list here.
Anyone experiencing these red flags, or knows someone who might be, can call 800-799-SAFE (7233) and speak to a domestic violence advocate.
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