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Osceola County deputy accused of assaulting woman in front of child

OSCEOLA COUNTY, Fla. — Jan. 17, 2019, update:

The clerk of court for Swain County, North Carolina, told Channel 9 that Eric Strodtman has been found guilty of assault. He will appeal the ruling and has a hearing scheduled for February.

Strodtman has been assigned to a non-law enforcement position until the case is resolved, and an internal investigation is underway, an Osecola County Sheriff's Office spokesman said.

Original story from Nov. 1, 2018:

An Osceola County deputy is charged with assaulting a woman in front of a child.

Channel 9 learned that the deputy was arrested in North Carolina last week after he was accused of throwing the woman down the stairs.

The Osceola County Sheriff's Office hasn't said what will happen to his job.

The agency said it is still waiting on information from the North Carolina law enforcement agency before taking action.

Channel 9 obtained records from Swain County, North Carolina, that show Eric Strodtman is accused of beating a woman Friday.

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The report said he "shoved her into a wall, injuring her head, throwing her down the steps and inflicting a serious wound to her neck."

It's unclear what exactly led to the alleged assault or where it happened in Swain County.

Strodtman was arrested on charges of assault on a female and assault in the presence of a minor, because investigators said a child was around when the alleged incident happened.

The relationship between Strodtman and the victim is not explained in the court records.

Channel 9's Samantha Manning asked the Sheriff's Office how long Strodtman has been employed by the agency and what his job responsibilities include, but she hasn't yet heard back.

A Sheriff's Office spokesman said an administrative review will be completed after the agency receives Strodtman's arrest report from North Carolina.

On Thursday evening, Manning visited a Brevard County address listed for Strodtman on court records, but no one answered the door.

Strodtman had a court hearing Wednesday, but it was continued until Dec. 20.