Lake City Man Arrested for Aggravated Battery/Resisting Arrest

HIGH SPRINGS – Cory Emerson Howell, 33, of Lake City, was arrested Thursday, April 7 and charged with aggravated battery, battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest with violence and two counts of criminal mischief.

The first victim told High Springs Police Department (HSPD) officers that she had picked Howell up in Alachua after his car broke down. They began to argue, and she made him get out of her car in High Springs. As he was getting out of her car, Howell allegedly hit her in the nose with a flashlight and then kicked the side of her car, leaving a dent.

Howell then reportedly went to the front porch of a nearby residence while running away from other people who told officers they were trying to stop him because he had hit the woman. While he was running away from them, he threw a pipe at their car and broke a headlight. The High Springs Police officer caught up with Howell on the porch of a High Springs residence.

Dispatch advised the HSPD officer that Howell, who has 11 felony convictions, might be armed, so he asked him to put his hands on the patrol vehicle and began patting him down. The officer’s arrest report indicated that, “The defendant became aggressive and began to resist when I grabbed a piece of plastic out of his left back pocket.”

The officer said Howell spun around and hit the officer in the eye. At that point, officers took Howell to the ground. As they attempted to secure him in handcuffs, he allegedly continued to resist and again hit the officer. He was finally secured and placed in the back of a patrol vehicle.

The female victim was located a short time later. The report stated, “She had injuries consistent with being struck in the face with a blunt object to the nose.”

Howell is being held on $145,000 bond.

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