Bunnell, FL - A 53-year-old Bunnell man is facing multiple charges related to domestic violence and staking his victim while she was at a victim's shelter.
Flagler County Sheriff's deputies responded to the Family Life Center around 9:30 Tuesday (May 7) morning. Shelter employees let them know that Dominic Petrillo had been trespassed from the property earlier that morning after he tried to get a look over the gated parking area.
After he was trespassed, Petrillo drove up and down the street in his truck and then parked across the street. Deputies than interviewed the victim as Petrillo continued driving back and forth. She told deputies that Petrillo consumed about two cases of beer on Monday (May 6) and started yelling at her and became visibly violent around 7 p.m.
The victim described the attack as Petrillo "slinging" her around, shoving her, and pushing her against the wall. She said that at one point, Petrillo used his arm and fist to push against her throat, cutting off her air supply. The victim said that Petrillo then got a shotgun from under a mattress, pointed it at her and told her he was going to "put a bullet" in her head.
The victim also told deputies that Petrillo continued his drunken rampage, going in and out of their camper, stumbling around and throwing things. After a couple of hours, she was able to sneak out and fled to the Family Life Shelter.
While deputies were interviewing the victim, her phone was going off with text messages and phone calls. Petrillo was sending her vulgar and crude messages about what she was and what he was going to do to her.
Deputies conducted a traffic stop on Petrillo in front of the shelter. He gave officers conflicting statements each time he was asked about what happened, initially saying nothing happened except that the victim left after stealing from him. Petrillo than admitted to having a verbal argument but did not strike the victim. When asked about the shotgun, first Petrillo said he did not have one. Then he admitted to having the shotgun but said he did not point it at the victim.
The victim said she wants to press charges. Petrillo was arrested and charged with three felonies. Strangulation - Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Assault, and Possession of a Firearm by a Convicted Felon. His bond was set at $7,500. He has bonded out of the Flagler County Jail.
