[PHOTO CREDIT: Lake County Sheriff’s Office]
[Original Publish Date: 07/09/20]
LEESBURG, Florida — A Leesburg man is in the Lake County Jail accused of grabbing an elderly relative by the throat and throwing her to the ground.
Around 10 p.m. Monday, the 71-year-old victim told Leesburg Police Mark Edward MacPhail, 45, grabbed her by the throat, threw her down and had been yelling and screaming at her all day. MacPhail allegedly threw a piece of laminate and struck his elderly relative in the head and the victim told police she feared MacPhail was going to kill her, according to an arrest affidavit.
MacPhail told police the victim approached him and tried to slap him; he grabbed her in a hug and took her to the ground. The victim did have a small laceration to her arm that was visibly bleeding, the arresting officer noted in the affidavit.
MacPhail, who has a prior battery conviction, was charged with domestic battery and transported to the Lake County Jail, where he is being held on $2,000 bond.
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Our Editor-in-Chief, Marilyn M. Aciego, began writing for Lake Legal News in 2010. Born and raised in Lake County, she is a graduate of Umatilla High School and Lake-Sumter State College. She started her journalism career at LSSC, where she was editor of both student publications, The Angler and The Odyssey. Her professional career began at the Daily Commercial in 2004 where she covered cops and courts the majority of her time there until she left in 2009. Currently, along with being Editor-in-Chief of Lake Legal News, she is the Florida bureau chief for an international media organization. She has made more than two dozen appearances on live national television, including Nancy Grace and the Greta Van Susteren show, along with her appearance on Evil Twins. Contact her with breaking news, tips, and feedback by sending an e-mail to 352Tips@gmail.com. You can also contact us on our Facebook page — and make sure you “Like” and “Follow us” there. [PHOTO CREDIT: Bonnie Whicher]
