A 20-year-veteran of the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has been charged with a first-degree misdemeanor of domestic battery against his wife.
JSO Director of Patrol and Enforcement Mike Bruno said Friday the arrested officer, Lenell Boyer, had been having an argument with his his wife in his home Thursday morning when the incident occurred.
“Lenell begins to get loud so his wife in response attempted to put her left hand over his mouth so he wouldn’t wake the children which were sleeping in the house,” Bruno said. “In response to her putting her hand over his mouth he bit her twice.”
He said one bite was at the base of her pinky finger, another on her wrist.
Officers were called later in the day Thursday.
“There was a little bit of a time gap between the incident and some conversations that [his wife] had with family members who encouraged her to report it,” Bruno said.
Boyer and the victim were interviewed by officers and he was arrested.
Bruno said although one arrest is too many, it’s reassuring that when an issue is brought to JSO’s attention, it’s addressed appropriately.
“The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office stepped up, arrested him and he’ll be held accountable administratively as well as criminally for those charges,” Bruno said.
In the meantime, Boyer's been reassigned to desk work during the investigation.
Bruno pointed out last month was the domestic violence awareness campaign for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office.
Boyer is the tenth JSO employee arrested this year.
Lindsey Kilbride can be reached at lkilbride@wjct.org, 904-358-6359 or on Twitter at @lindskilbride.
