I have no family. I chose him over my own family. All right. All right. Well, I don't So, can I go I would I'd rather go to jail with him. That's not how that works. September 26th, 2025. Officers responded to a battery complaint involving a couple just removed from a flight. An airport witness saw Thomas grab Michelle by the throat and force her against the wall. Officers separated them immediately. We're at the hotel. We're at the hotel. We're going to the Maingate Inn. You can check my thing and that's it. All right. All right. I think you. No, no, no, no, no. I'm not going to jail. No, Thomas. Put everything down. Relax. >> going to jail. Don't laugh. Sir, she's good. Really? >> All right. I apologize. I think I'll determine that. I will I will I will I'm out here with my hands up and my bag. Why don't you take your stuff and step inside for me? I don't know. Take your stuff and step inside. Huh? Talk to me. Just have a seat right there for me, please. Sir, I'm not allowed. That's fine. Step Just have a seat right there for me. Nope. Down there. Nope. Down there. Yes, sir. >> Down there. I'm going to sit here. Sit down right there. >> No, our Uber's coming. I don't care. You can order another one. Yes, sir. Sit down on your butt. Yes, sir. I'm allowed. That's all you got to do. I don't want I don't want to fight with him. I just don't want him He's He's loudmouth. I don't care. That's his problem. I don't I'm his wife. We got to get I got to Okay. That's fine. But not while we're doing our job. >> Yes, sir. Yes, sir. You're not going to be yelling and I'm I'm grateful for what you do. I understand that, but you got to You're not acting like it. All right? Thank you for what you do. Have a seat. What did you What did you see when you got here? They were just talking when I came in. They were about 3 or 4 ft apart. It was a little bit heated, but not not nothing too crazy. So, when I started talking to him, I could tell I could tell he was loaded. I don't probably need to ask him anything. Yeah, he's he's he's he's intoxicated. Her, I couldn't tell, but that guy I immediately just separated them. I got you. But, yeah, I was glad to help with this. That's it. You can cancel it. Huh? You can cancel and order another one. Right now? Right now, we're doing our job. >> All right. No problem. >> Sound good? Sound good. I'm a veteran, by the way. Thank you for your service. >> No, thank you for your service. Thank you for your service. Um so, she witnessed female subject take something green from him, throw it on the ground. Uh at that time, he grabbed her by the throat, pushed her against the wall. Where against the wall? Right there. Right here? That wall. The tile wall? Uh-huh. Okay. So, she threw the green thing out of his hand. That's why he grabbed her like this and let her go and then he could get up. >> He grabbed her by the throat and like forcibly pushed her back? Yeah. Not that hard, but Or here or did she like the chest? Around her neck? Uh not I mean, not that hard, but Not that hard. With that hand, like like this. But strong enough to push her over against the Uh-huh. Yeah. Did it look like And she wasn't going against the wall like on her own. It looked like he Like she wasn't like pushing I know I understand, but you could see like her feet backpedaling. Like you could see her feet pushing. Okay. Backwards. Okay. Thomas. Yes, sir. What happened? What do you mean what happened? What happened Why are we here right now? I have no idea. You have no idea? >> Me and her are We got kicked off the plane. Okay. Cuz we had a little argument upstairs. Okay. >> We drank a little bit. Okay. Right now, we're meeting to get our Uber to go to our hotel. They said come back tomorrow and get your luggage and that's it. Okay. That's it. Nothing happened? >> No. We're trying to leave, bro. Ask her. Ask her. I'm One step at a time. Anything happen in between? I know, but we're just trying to leave, bro. What you trying to do? Well, I understand what you're trying to do. Right? I still have a job to do. Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know. Yes, sir. Why Why Why am I having a witness tell me that there's a physical fight between you guys? It wasn't. I promise you there wasn't even a physical fight. There wasn't. I grabbed her bags and that's about it, bro. That's as deep as it comes. Thomas. Yes, sir. Let's see your hands for me. Yeah. They're good. What's up with the pinky? What happened to pinky there? Where? I broke my [ __ ] up there. That right there? No, that I broke in uh storage. Storage what? >> Yeah, I have that Orlando hotel as proof of this. Storage unit? I'm I'm I'm not allowed to leave, but I can tell you that now. You asked her something, so what did you ask her? Okay. Yes, sir. What did you ask her anything? I did not ask her anything about Oh, Michelle. Okay. Hey. Hey, obviously we're down here for a reason, okay? >> Yeah, cuz I was being too loud. Right. What exactly happened? Um I was just being loud. I'm being I'm being actually and I can't find my driver's license. I got you. >> I'm looking for my driver's license. I got Either I lost it in the elevator or but I I've been trying to find him. So, when I finally found him, I was cussing him out like I can't find you but upstairs, downstairs, every other floor. Three floors cuz I couldn't find him. >> Right. So, I of course it's his fault because I can't find him. >> Right. Right. So, I'm not But I lost my driver's license. Okay. That's why we're That's why we're here. Did anything else happen? Um Uh obviously we got kicked out of the airplane because we've been drinking. Okay. But other than that, no. Hold on. We're going to handcuff Thomas. Lean forward. Lean forward. Hands behind your back. Um Hands behind your back. There you go. I'm going to jail. Nope. Not yet. You're just going to handcuff for now. All right. And we got I ain't got that though. Cuz you're being detained. Hands tight. Be careful. I lost my wallet. Michelle. I lost my Uber. Michelle. Yes, sir. Hear me out. Yes, sir. Okay. Thomas is in handcuffs right now. Well, why? Okay. I just wanted to go look at surveillance. Look at that camera. Look at that camera. I just needed his wallet. Hear me out. Yes, sir. What did I see? I don't even want to know what you saw, but like I have it Without him, I have no money to get to a We'll figure that all out. But that camera's right there. That camera caught He probably pushed me. No, he probably did. Okay. Okay, so that's what I'm saying. I just want some honesty here. Well, you But I I don't want him to go to jail. >> that. I understand that. I just I don't think that he needs to go to jail because I'm I'm We're I'm just drunk. He's probably trying to contain me cuz I'm so drunk right now. Like I barely can Well, pushing and containing are two different things. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right? Right? And what did I see? I don't know what you saw. >> Tell me. You saw him He He pushed me. Yes, he did. Where did he push you? Right here. Right? Against what? Against the wall. Okay. So, that's simple as that. How long have How long have you guys been dating? Uh a year. A year? Okay. Did you guys live together? We do live We kind of hotel. Like I That's why I need his wallet. >> Okay. I got you. I got you. I will figure that all out. I will figure all that out. I don't even have the Uber app, so I can't I can't get anywhere without him. >> can facilitate. I don't want to go to her safe house. That's You're not going to a safe house. You have the option to make that call. Would you like to? >> I don't want him in handcuffs. Hear me out. Hear me out, Hear me out. Under Florida Statute Section 741.28, because Thomas and Michelle live together, this was domestic violence, not ordinary battery. Both denied serious contact. Thomas also disclosed Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, a memory condition linked to chronic alcohol use. Not a legal defense. The officer reviewed airport surveillance footage independently. What he saw confirmed the witness account. Probable cause was now established. Under Florida Statute Section 741.29, once probable cause exists for domestic violence, the officer shall arrest. No discretion, no exceptions. The arrest was calm and without force. Thomas complied. No resistance, no escalation. Michelle had no money, no family, nowhere to go. Officers explained the process patiently and treated her with dignity throughout. No, cuz I don't have nobody to call. I got you. I got you. I understand that. I don't want him in handcuffs. Hear me out. Hear me out, Michelle. Sir. Ma'am. I see Michelle. I need you to understand this. That when when it comes down to domestic violence or domestic We have no choice. Our hands are tied. If it was up to me, both you guys would be walking separately. >> Can I Can I Can we both go to jail then? >> We cannot. I would I'd rather both of us go to jail. No. You don't need that. I would I would rather us both What would you What do you need out of his property? You need his wallet? What else? Well, can I talk Can I talk to him for 1 second? No, ma'am. Cuz I don't know what to do. He We can't go to New Jersey. All of our property's here. There I Either he he comes out of the cop car or we might as well just both go to jail with him. >> That's not how that works. Cuz all of our luggage is here. All of our property's here. All of our belongings. All of my books, my journals. I'm talking about everything's here for I got you. I been You are more than welcome to stay here at the airport and leave your car. I can't. I have no family. I chose him over my whole family. All right. All right. Well, I don't So, can I go I want to I'd rather go to jail with him. That's not how that works. I know. You know that. >> say goodbye to him, please? We Well, I'll think about it. >> me Will you please let me say goodbye to him? Because he he I didn't put him in jail. I don't want him to I understand that. The state put him in jail. >> I don't want him to go to jail. >> that. I understand that. Do me a favor. Just hang out right here. I'm going to get you some paperwork. All right? You'll You'll have your phone call and >> And what if he's in there for over 30 days? That's another 30 days I can't be without him. >> It's not 30 days. For how long? It's not 30 days. >> 24 hours? It's probably going to be 24 hours. >> I've been on bail I'm on bail. Can I be on bail? It's not how that works. It has to go through the judicial system. We can't leave Yes, sir. Yes, sir. Listen to >> Yes, sir. This is how this is going to work. Yes, sir. I'm going to get you some paperwork, all right? Whatever phone call you make after that and and he makes a >> have nowhere to go. I don't have nowhere to >> stay here, but that's what you're going to have to figure out, okay? Right now, I suggest that you hang out right here Okay. and sober up. You're the boss. Yes. Anytime. Thomas. Yeah. Is my wallet over there? What Yeah, your wallet's over there. All right. What am I going to charge him I went down to go check the surveillance. What did I see? I don't know. Nothing happened. I don't remember I don't know what >> what she says, either. I have Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome. I have no idea. A what? Wernicke-Korsakoff. I have wet brain. So, I don't know. Okay. Cool. Um right now, you're being charged with battery domestic violence. That's horrible. Where is my wallet and my ID? Is my ID over there? So, she needs some stuff. Right? Yeah, but I need my wallet. I got you. One step at a time. It's not how this goes. Sticks. Spread your feet. Spread your feet. So, here's the thing. Is it What What in your possession do you want her to All right. Cool. So, you don't want to leave her with any money? You don't want No. No, I don't have any money. She's got money. I need my ID so I can I got you. I appreciate you. Hey. See you. Thanks. See you. All right. Just be a professional. I got you. Can you bring all of my stuff out here? All right. I got you. Can I talk to you? If convicted, up to 1 year in jail, a 2-9 week intervention program, loss of firearm rights, and a lifetime record that cannot be sealed or expunged, ever. The lead officer receives an A- minus. Independent corroboration before arrest. Calm execution. Deduction. Incomplete separation during initial questioning. Thomas receives a B. Cooperative after arrest, but surveillance footage may support a strangulation charge under section 784.041, a third-degree felony. Michelle receives a B plus. When asked directly, she confirmed the push. That honest answer strengthened the entire case. Lesson one. In Florida, a victim cannot stop a domestic violence arrest. The law removes that choice the moment probable cause exists. Lesson two. Public cameras are independent witnesses. Thomas believed his version would be believed. The footage disagreed. Lesson three. One domestic battery plea in Florida means a permanent record, no expungement, no sealing. One night, one push, a record for life. Share your thoughts in the comments below.