- March 28, 2024
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A 39-year-old Palm Coast man was arrested Saturday morning by Flagler County Sheriff’s depuites, and was charged with beating his girlfriend with a baseball bat.
The 38-year-old victim suffered a fractured hand and a possible broken nose in the attack that occurred around 3:30 a.m. at the home at 22 Brian Lane. She was transported to Florida Hospital Flagler where she was being treated for her injuries. Deputies reported she was covered in blood and had swelling on her head, hand and legs. Blood was also found splattered inside the home.
Deputies arrested James Branningan Jr. on a domestic violence charge of aggravated battery with a weapon. He was being held in the Flagler County Inmate Facility Saturday morning on $20,000 bond.
The victim told deputies she was asleep and awoke to Branningan striking her with a baseball bat. She shouted to her two daughters to call 911 and attempted to flee the home. Her daughters told deputies they saw Branningan grabbed their mother and begin choking her. They said he then started hitting her on the leg with the baseball bat. Both girls said Branningan woke them up demanding his gun or he was going to kill their mother.
The victim fled to a neighbor’s house and called the Sheriff’s Office. Deputies were unable to determine what led to the attack. Deputies discovered a 3-foot tall marijuana plant in a bedroom closet.
Branningan fled to a home on Bannbury Lane where he was found on the back porch and taken into custody.