A Volusia deputy has been arrested on domestic violence charges after an assault on his girlfriend, a fellow sheriff’s deputy who reported the incident to her supervisors the following day.
Deputy Austin Rosa, 24, is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, false imprisonment and battery in the incident, which began in the early morning hours Friday off State Road 44 in the New Smyrna Beach area.
The victim reported that Rosa was driving them home from a bar after he had a large amount of alcohol, and he sped up and ran a red light at high speed. The victim demanded he stop and let her out, and he did.
The victim said she walked down the road to get away from Rosa, and he followed. She said he grabbed her, yelled at her and violently pulled her back toward the vehicle. The incident escalated when Rosa pushed the victim down and threatened to kill her. She said he also threatened to shoot and kill any law enforcement officers who responded if she called for help.
The victim was able to de-escalate the incident and rode home with Rosa without further incident. Later, upon reporting for work, she confided in her supervisor that she was a victim of domestic violence, and the Sheriff’s Office initiated an investigation.
Deputies located Rosa at a friend’s apartment early Saturday and took him into custody without incident. Sheriff Mike Chitwood commended the victim for coming forward and said that Rosa’s violent, threatening behavior would not be tolerated. “No one should have to endure that kind of abuse, especially at the hands of someone who’s sworn to protect others. It’s a black mark for all of us who wear the same badge, but I’m proud of the quick work our deputies did to put this deputy behind bars just like anyone else.”
Rosa’s firearm was taken as evidence and a risk protection order was completed, with an additional handgun seized from the couple’s shared apartment. Rosa was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail with no bond. He was temporarily placed on paid administrative leave pending an Internal Affairs investigation.