Matthew Degraw has three arrests in the last 15 months in Flagler County, all for battery or domestic violence. On Wednesday, Flagler County Sheriff’s deputies had to establish a perimeter around his house at 22 Filbert Lane in Palm Coast in a brief stand-off as he refused to come out, and was known to have weapons in his possession inside.
That part of the incident ended peacefully, and with Degraw yet again under arrest, though what led to it was not peaceful.
Deputies got a call about a physical disturbance at the Filbert Lane address just before 8 a.m. Wednesday. The victim, who lives with Degraw, was outside the house. She told a deputy that she had tried to ask Degraw to use his phone in order to call his mother so the victim could be given a ride: she had a doctor’s appointment.
Degraw, according to the victim, became belligerent, pried the phone out of her hand, threw her to the ground and began choking her. (Deputies, hospitals and domestic-assault counselors have seen a rise in attacks involving choking in recent years.) The victim was able to free herself and run to her bedroom. Degraw, according to her, told her that if she called police, he would kill her.
The woman told police that to her knowledge, Degraw had in his possession swords, a machete and a black gun. She said she tried to reason with him, but that he chased her to the front door, “yelling that if she ever told anyone,” according to his arrest report, “he would take care of her.” The victim was able to get out of the house and wait for deputies to arrive.
Once there, deputies, because of the weapons allegations, established a perimeter around the house. Degraw at first refused to come out. His mother was in the house with him. A corporal and a deputy were able to establish communications with him through his mother’s cell phone. After some exchanges, Degraw agreed to come out of the house, following deputies’ verbal commands. He was immediately searched and detained, then arrested for domestic battery by strangulation, a third-degree felony, and aggravated assault domestic violence, also a third-degree felony. He also faces a probation violation charge. Bond was set at $11,000 on the first two charges. There is no bond on the third charge.
A corporal, according to the arrest report, conducted a background check and found that Degraw “currently has numerous charges related to battery on file, and he is a respondent to an injunction” requested by someone other than the victim Wednesday.
He remained at the Flagler County jail Thursday.
Last May, a battery charge against Degraw from March 2013 was dropped. At the end of April, a battery charge from last July was dropped. In July 2007, he pleaded no contest to obstructing an officer. He’s also been arrested several times for probation violations, going back to 2004, when he also faced a contempt of court charge for violating an injunction for protection against domestic violence.
Butch says
When will men learn NOT to live in the same house with women ?
A.S.F. says
YET, AGAIN…WHY THE LOW BOND? Does he actually have to kill somebody, before authorities (besides the police) take him seriously? Maybe Flaglerlive can start doing the community a service by publishing the names of the authorities who set these low bond amounts. There should be more accountability..and more questions about why Domestic Violence, rape and personal assault isn’t being taken more seriously in our neck of the woods.
A.S.F. says
And, again, this is another example of charges that need to be pursued by the prosecutor’s office, even if the victim expresses a desire to drop the charges. If any children are in this home, an investigation by children’s services should begin immediately, to assess the danger level in that house.
I don't know what to say. says
Some relationships just don’t work. This may be a round hole square peg situation. This guy is going to have to live with this on his record for the rest of his life and he’s really in Trouble now, with a capital T.
Missty says
This man needs to be locked up, he assaulted me way back in 1998, and he just doesn’t learn. He needs a psych eval. He truly has mental issues. If not helped I believe he will murder one day so he won’t be arrested by the victims accusations. Ijs
Anita says
In addition to domestic battery he has, in the past, faced numerous charges of battery on others ( men or women we don’t know, nor would it matter), probation violations, obstructing an officer and contempt of court. The man has issues with authority so it’s better he remains in jail.
Geezer, Mr. Wonderful says
Funny when other men arrive in the form of cops – the perp
get’s cooperative. See, he can only pull that rough stuff on a woman.
Only a pencil***k beats up on a member of the fairer sex.
Maybe some augmentation surgery is in order.
Carl says
I think repeat offenders that beat up on women should be branded , burn a WB into their hands right near the wrist top side this way other women will know what he is and know to stay away , it would stand for both woman beater and wife beater , if your not goingto lock them up then give women a the option of knowing what they are before they take the risk of being next victim, its the very least they can do instead of a slap on the hand give them a……… Brand Hand!
gun control says
But he didn’t use the gun he had in his house.
Carl says
@gun control…….Because he knew that would put him in prison with men that would make him their woman, and he`d be getting beat on , it was not honor, it was cowardice, don t pat the guy on the back cause he didn` t kill her.
Missty says
Well said Carl, I was going to suggest, women start googling a name when they meet someone.
Carl says
A lot of them sites charge money to get someones records in other states, plus if they are both at a party or drinking at a bar they just start dating , most are on best behavior for awhile , but some may not have that control and beat on her for refusing sex or over a stupid disagreement, depends …without help their fuse gets shorter the older they get, just glad I`m not a woman on the dating scene.
Annie says
Has anyone tested him for drugs? It seems he has a violent temper and it could be because he’s a drug user and may be coming down from a high… Just making a observation.