Seminole Co. firefighter accused of choking girlfriend over text messages

SEMINOLE COUNTY, Fla. — A Seminole County firefighter is expected to face a judge on Monday for the first time since he was arrested for allegedly attacking his girlfriend.

Dean Erlandson, 24, was arrested shortly after 4 a.m. Sunday by Winter Springs police. He was charged with domestic battery and aggravated assault with a weapon.

Police said Erlandson choked his girlfriend, held her at knifepoint and even pulled a gun on her. 

A witness said he was awakened by the sound of screams in his Winter Springs neighborhood.

"It wasn't like your garden variety horror film scream," the neighbor said. "It wasn't a scream for, 'Help me, help me.' It was sort of a groaning, moaning type of scream."

The witness also claims to have seen what appeared to be the aftermath of a domestic fight.

"She was on the ground in the fetal position. He was standing over her, bent at the waist," the witness described.

After a call to 911, police officers arrived and realized the alleged attacker was Erlandson.

According to police, the fight was over text messages from the woman's ex-boyfriend.

Erlandson allegedly threw her to the ground, threatened her with a knife and a loaded gun and even said he would turn the knife on himself.

Back in August, Erlandson was jailed after he allegedly punched a man and pounded his head into concrete in a downtown Orlando parking garage.

WFTV