A Clearwater woman has been arrested after allegedly striking her boyfriend on the head with a laptop during an argument about suspected infidelity, police said.
Christianne Stephens, 57, is accused of causing the man to lose consciousness and suffer a large cut to his head during the dispute at the couple’s shared home, according to a Clearwater Police Department arrest affidavit.
Clearwater laptop assault arrest
The man told officers he had been recording the alleged assault on his phone while attempting to leave the apartment. After regaining consciousness, he said he saw Stephens trying to delete the recordings.
Investigators allege Stephens knew the incident had been captured on video and told the man he could not leave until he removed the footage. Police said she then blocked his path as he tried to get out, leaving him concerned that he was being prevented from leaving.
Stephens later acknowledged hitting him with the laptop, the affidavit states. She told officers she had not intended to strike him and had been pushing the computer towards him in an attempt to make him leave.
She was arrested on Saturday, 3 October, and faces charges of aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, permanent disability or disfigurement; false imprisonment; and tampering with a witness or victim.
The affidavit did not state whether the man suffered any further head injury or permanent scarring. The allegations have not been tested in court.
