Donald Morrison, 27, of Defuniak Springs is facing multiple charges including sexual assault, battery and false imprisonment following an incident in Santa Rosa County earlier this month.
According to an arrest report from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the incident occurred on August 10, in which a sheriff’s deputy responded to a domestic violence complaint from an emergency room in Gulf Breeze.
In a recorded sworn statement, the victim stated the incident had occurred when Morrison had sent the victim messages asking if he could come over. The victim told Morrison not to come over to the apartment. In the report, Morrison told the victim he wanted to work things out.
However, Morrison ignored the victim’s request and showed up at front door, demanding to be let in. According to the report, Morrison demanded the victim let him in and tell him face to face they were through.
In the statement, the victim only opened the door a few inches in order to tell Morrison to leave and tell him they were through. However, Morrison then forced his way into the victim’s residence.
According to the report, Morrison was told several times to leave and he refused. Morrison got violent with the victim, who tried multiple times to leave and even screamed for help. Morrison prevented the victim from leaving and even put his hand over their mouth in order to keep the victim from screaming.
While inside the apartment, Morrison allegedly continued to be physical with the victim. Morrison even shoved the victim into the bedroom where the sexual assault took place.
The incident ended after another male showed up at the residence and knocked on the door. The victim was able to access the door and let the person in which Morrison then ran out and away.
The male visiting the apartment said he had heard the commotion from the elevator including the victim screaming “Stop! Leave me alone,” according to the report.
After Morrison fled the scene, the male found the victim crying and told him what had occurred. The male then called 911.
Upon interviewing Morrison, the deputy stated Morrison denied forcefully entering the apartment but was instead allowed inside by the victim. Morrison also denied any physical altercation with the victim. As for the sexual assault, Morrison claimed he laid down next to the victim, who was complaining of stomach discomfort, in which he claimed to rub the victim’s stomach in an attempt to make the victim feel better.
He even told investigators, the victim told him no and to leave during sex. Morrison also provided the investigators with printed messages from Facebook which would prove he did not sexually batter the victim. After reading the evidence, the deputy stated the messages did not and could not prove Morrison’s perspective.
In the interview, Morrison also told authorities, he had previously been arrested for domestic violence with the victim. There was also a documented history of Morrison making harassing phone calls to the victim.
The deputy said Morrison also made little eye contact and did not face the same direction of the deputy during the entire interview. Morrison also provided texts as proof of his innocence in the matter, which according to the deputy only supported the victim’s statement.
“Morrison denied doing anything wrong or illegal to the victim,” the report stated.
In addition to the sexual assault, battery and false imprisonment charges, Morrison has also been charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and burglary. Morrison currently remains incarcerated at the Santa Rosa County Jail with a $211,000 bond amount.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Sheriff’s office: Defuniak Springs man faces sexual assault, battery charges