Local

Deputies: DeLand woman passes note saying boyfriend holding her captive

DELAND, Fla. — Volusia County deputies arrested a man after his live-in girlfriend passed a note to staff at a DeLand animal hospital saying he was threatening her, according to an arrest report.

Jeremy Floyd, 39, is accused of beating his 28-year-old girlfriend and threatening her at gunpoint for two days, deputies said.

According to deputies, Floyd beat his girlfriend on Wednesday, making her stay in bed all day Thursday with a head injury.

On Friday afternoon, his girlfriend was able to convince him to let her bring her dog to DeLand Animal Hospital, but he insisted on accompanying her with a loaded handgun, deputies said.

Once at the veterinary hospital, the woman slipped a note to the staff there that said, “Call the cops. My boyfriend is threatening me. He has a gun. Please don't let him know.”

A staff member called law enforcement and a DeLand police officer detained Floyd, a convicted felon, and took his gun, investigators said.

The Sheriff’s Office then took over the investigation because the incident happened in Volusia County.

Angie Pye, CEO of Volusia County's Beacon Center, said the woman's quick thinking may have saved her life.

"If they had alerted him in some way, this might not have been as peaceful; you know, somebody may have gotten hurt," said Pye.

Floyd was charged Wednesday with violating pretrial release conditions, because deputies, said he contacted the victim from his jail cell.

Floyd called the woman 15 times on Saturday, 17 times on Sunday and 15 times on Monday, deputies said.

"I understand you're upset with me. I'm sorry. I know you're upset with me and I apologize about what I did to you. I'll make it up to you. I apologize and I love you," Floyd said in a voicemail to the victim, deputies said.