Crestview resident John Francis Rice, 25, remains at the Santa Rosa County Jail following a incident of domestic violence on Friday in Navarre.
According to Rice’s arrest report from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began on Friday, September 18, when a deputy arrived at a residence on Rosewood Drive. Rice arrived unannounced at the residence of a woman who is also the mother of his child. The woman was staying at the Navarre residence with a roommate.
The female told the deputy on scene, Rice had sent her several harassing text messages, voice messages and social media messages a couple of days prior to the incident. These messages accused the female of having relations with the roommate.
In the report, the female said Rice showed up at the residence and began to repeatedly knocked on the door. Rice entered the residence when the female answered the door. In her statement, Rice forcefully entered the home and pushed the female aside.
The woman, who said Rice did not have permission to enter the residence, believed Rice showed up to fight the roommate, reports said.
During this time, the woman called the landlords, who lived nearby, in order to tell Rice to leave.
While inside the residence, Rice confronted the roommate. In the report, Rice was told by the roommate to leave. The roommate also told Rice he would call the police if he did not leave within certain amount of time.
In the roommate’s statement, Rice threatened him while inside the residence and even spit in his face during the altercation. According to the woman’s statement the roommate grabbed Rice by the collarbone and forced Rice to leave. In the report, both the woman and the roommate did not have marks or bruises on their person.
The deputy examined the woman’s cell phone and confirmed there had been a number of harassing texts sent from Rice. The deputy also listened to voice mails left on the woman’s phone from Rice.
“The voice messages were very derogatory in nature,” the report said. In the voice message, Rice also demanded the woman answer her phone.
While on scene, the woman received a call from an unknown number, which was later determined to be from a convenience store on Highway 98, reports said. Other deputies along the area were able to locate and detained Rice in the area for questioning.
In his statement, Rice said he was invited to the residence by the woman in order to retrieve some personal belongings. Rice admitted he was told by the roommate to leave adding the roommate had pulled a knife on him and grabbing him by the neck, during the confrontation. Reports said Rice also denied pushing the woman when entering the residence.
The deputy also said Rice was unable to answer the question as to why he needed his said belongings at 2 a.m. During the interview, Rice questioned the legality of why he was being arrested this would continue after being placed in the back of a patrol car.
In the report, Rice reportedly head butted the interior cage of the sheriff’s vehicle. Rice then told the arresting deputy he was on probation for failing to pay a traffic tickets.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Crestview man faces battery, stalking charges in Navarre incident