It was almost midnight, late Friday night, when the 28-year-old victim returned to 84 Utica Path in Palm Coast after visiting a neighbor. Her husband, Maurice Cauldwell, 29, was at the house, “very angry,” according to the description the victim gave police shortly afterward. An argument immediately followed, and she said Cauldwell “began choking her.”
The victim told police that he ripped her shirt with a knife, “pulled her shirt off and ripped her pants down” and assaulted her with his fingers, vaginally, “in order to smell her to see if she had been with another male,” according to the report.
The victim said Cauldwell then threw her cell phone at her as she ran out the door, but that the phone missed and shattered against the wall. The victim ran outside, covering herself, and began screaming for help.
The couple’s child had witnessed the attack, according to the child’s mother. A neighbor called the cops when she saw Cauldwell pull the victim into the house by the hair. When a deputy arrived at the scene, the victim was standing in the street, yelling for help, then ran toward the deputy, who saw several scratch marks on her body. She was not fully clothed.
The deputy secured the woman in a safe location then located Cauldwell in the house, securing him in handcuffs immediately “for officer safety.”
“I was unable to locate the knife or the cut shirt inside of the residence in plain sight,” the deputy reported, “but observed the shattered cell phone lying on top of and end table in the living room, with the glass shattered completely on the face of it. I also observed a pair of blue jeans and panty lying in the middle of the floor in the living room.”
Caldwell was charged with domestic battery by strangulation, sexual battery, and domestic assault. He remained at the Flagler County jail, Monday afternoon on $52,000 bond. The house on Utica Path was deeded by Flagler Habitat for Humanity last year, according to county property records.
tulip says
Why are there so many gruesome, sadistic people around lately? Something has gone very wrong in our society.
ANONYMOUSAY says
We have no carrer jobs here so what keeps attracting these losers to this City? CHEAP HOUSING!
Magnolia says
We also don’t have enough law enforcement. The rising crime rate here is killing the housing and jobs market. You’d have to be an idiot to bring a company to Palm Coast with neighborhoods like this.
Anonymous says
Perhaps Mr. Caldwell has lived here all his life?
JP says
Palm Coast..is Daytona North….losts of dirt bags in this town…..
Been there, done that says
If you can move away now, do so. http://247wallst.com/2012/09/11/ten-towns-that-cannot-turnaround/2/
Geezer says
Good post.
Palm Coast is best for well-funded retirees, and anyone else who doesn’t need to work anymore.
Where exactly does one work here to make a living wage? (people who aren’t in the medical field)
Sure, there’s Walmart, Home Despot, and other low-ballers….. Mow some lawns?
PC is not attracting quality people anymore. PC is like an elevator shaft with a faulty door.
You walk in like thousands of others, only to free-fall, and SPLAT. Foreclosure! Unemployment!
It’s a big black hole with pretty palm trees (transplanted of course) and manicured corridors that beckon you, only to swallow your sorry ass, after you buy a home here.
Palm Coast, the bottomless money pit. Featuring rush hours with people going nowhere!
Shocked says
I went to high school with Maurice and I just can not believe this! It’s sad how much people can change over the course of 10 years. That poor child who had to see this will be scared for life! Horrible!!!
Vanessa Cheesewright says
scary and dangerous… stop settling for the slim pickings available…the grass is greener on the other side.
Saddened says
This is a sad situation but to call people “losers” looking for cheap housing…. It is sad that all you could get from this story was that. This happens to be a beautiful young woman who works very hard, raising her children and helped build that home with her own blood sweat and tears. Habitat is a wonderful program that helps out many very well deserving people to gain AFFORDABLE (not cheap) housing. This mans actions are dispicable, but not a reflection on this family as a whole. Praying for healing for them.
ANONYMOUSAY says
@ Anonymous -“Perhaps Mr. Caldwell has lived here all his life?” Uh no Mr. Cauldwell has lived in BUNNELL MOST of his whole life. Cheap housing equals the new trailer park and projects.
ANONYMOUSAY says
@Saddened – True I made the comment about losers and cheap housing but it was not directed at the victim. Really it’s the broad range of grimy, seedy criminals that are taking advantage of this place that are coming in from every direction imaginable. Was not aware of Habitat being involved with the victims residence. My apologies if it came across at her. But you know as well as I do her man pulled a straight ghetto “LifeTime for women TV pimp move with this incident.
Andy Nonymous says
Sad indeed. I went to school with Maurice too.
Geezer says
“Some people call me the space cowboy yeah
Some call me the gangster of love
Some people call me Maurice
Cause’ I speak of the pompetous of love”
-Steve Miller Band, The Joker
For the Victims says
This woman is a victim of a sex crime, however I feel that her name and all the details of her assault should not be made public for everyone to read! She is going through enough right now!
Dad of hard working and loving mom says
What happened has hurt and destroyed a family. One that a Mom worked two jobs and did build their home with her own sweat and blood to get her children out of the gheto and give them a chance at a life. The Ameican Dream. yes she had the help of Habitat for humanity which is one og the best group of people i came to know from there and them. You should have never put their names and address up for every full to see, how ever it is fact and what has happened to my family has hurt me. So im trying to hold back and be nice. Flagler has a decent school system but it is a place to go dye not raise a family. You have 25% unemployment and a crappy job if your lucky. Your hospitals and medical is even worse. I had my wife in three months in a row and came to Cincinnati only for her to dye one month later from hart desease that was never found or treated. Now i have been to the same hospital twice to come home to find only two thirds of my hart works. These people had good bed side manners but stupid as they come. If you live in Bunnell work hard at getting two jobs appease so maybe you can get out your self, but what i see their is generations stuck like supper glue. My daughter works hard and is a loving and terrific woman, not to mention beautiful inside and out. No body has a write to hurt her our my 4 grandsons. Not you, not Maurice. I hope you can find it in your hart to pray for my family. They need all of gods love and mercy along with your prayers. Obviously something is not correct with Maurice either. Is mad as i am he is in my prayers as well. The family of who hurt my daughter needs prayer as well. Is this the son you would be proud of. No but he would be yours and a part of your hart. I bet my daughter will raise her children in your growing yet half dead society, and i bet i will dye there as well, doing all i can as a father and a grandfather. My love for and those children as my daughter comes in front of everything except god. I had a friend say to me today that if you have nothing good to say, come sit next to her. This is not write and you people have no write to be nasty and i guess thats why there is a heaven and a hell. I am asking you for your prayers and help. This is very ugly and hurtful. if my grammer or spelling is not correct its only my tears that are in my way. My daughter is truly a great mother. It was her calling. If you know her or these children you know these words i speak are true. If you dont please tell me how you would handle this if it was your family. Your daughter, your grandchildren, or your son who forgot what a loving wife and mother he had and could not contain his own insecurities because to top all off she is the provider as well.
hard working father says
I think it is a tragedy that this has happened to such a beautiful woman, and she has ended up in such a bad situation. Things like this don’t just happen out of the blue though. There are warning signs, and as a parent you have to be aware of those signs, especially when you have small children. At some point a woman has to stop being a battering ram, and not ALLOW yourself to be in harms way. Enough is enough, and that’s what should have been said long ago. I know of this situation, and Mrs. Cauldwell should have removed herself from this abusive relationship. Is this her fault? Of course not. No man should EVER put his hands on a woman. Especially the mother of his children. What kind of message does that send to your kids. Any female that’s in an abusive relationship, whether it’s verbal, or physical, should love herself enough to say, “I deserve better than this.” What has happened is done. Now you pick up the pieces and try to put them back together. Relationships that are broken in this manner are like broken vases. Regardless of how many pieces you find, it will never be whole again. No amount of glue can fix this. I’m really, truly sorry you have to go through this J.C., but you know where I am if you need to talk to someone. I wish I could be there for you at this time, but you know my situation. Take care of your kids like I’ve always told you. They depend on you, and it’s your job to not let them go down that same road. You are their only role model.
Dad of hard working and loving mom says
You are repeating my conversation. I was told to but out. This is the man she loved and will always be by his side. Thats why i am not with them. We live our own life and learn only by our mistakes. I love my daughter and always will. I will always love them boys as well. We can talk way past being blue. One learns by living. She is a beautiful woman. Thank you. She is no full and will pick her life up. She will think for her self and her children. All will work out and thank you for being there for my family is really what i wanted to tell you. If we all could have a wife like my daughter… A mother that she has been, and will be. She has one less now to feed and cater too. She is now on her way to moving forward. I thank you again.
Anonymously, Palm Coast is listed as the 5th quickest growing economy on the Government Consensus. Thats what brings people to your city. Another government misleading report. Yesterday i read Wall Street 24/7 Today. Top 10 towns that can not turn around. #9 Flagler Florida.
FRIENDS OF THESE TWO PEOPLE says
These are my friends & its very surprising to see Maurice act the way he has.. Thats not him. This woman is a wonderful woman who works hard to raise her 4 boys. Maurice is a great man, loving father and would do anything for his family. so for any of you above ^^ that dont know him what gives you the room to talk bad about him. yea the situation is a little funky but people make mistakes and who cares if they havea house with habitat for humanity. like why does that give you a reason to judge them. God bless you and yours maurice. very dissappointed in the actions that you have taken towards ashley. She loves you bro and you know she would do anything for you.. tighten up man.