POLK COUNTY, Fla. -- A former Florida lawmaker is accused of abusing his wife of 10 years, according to the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
- Former state Rep. Baxter Troutman arrested
- Wife accuses him of abusing her for years
Former Rep. Baxter Troutman, 52, was arrested early Saturday after his wife made multiple domestic violence accusations against him.
According to authorities, Rebecca Troutman said she and her husband had argued about her buying a home in Lakeland in her own name on Wednesday.
She told deputies she left the home for several hours and returned at about 9:30 p.m. to sleep. Rebecca Troutman told authorities that her husband came into her bedroom at about 4:30 a.m. and pulled the comforter off her bed.
The two had slept in separate bedrooms for several years, she told deupties.
Rebecca Troutman said Baxter Troutman said, "Get up, it's a new day, it's time to get a job, the f— gravy train is over." He then turned on multiple TVs around the house, setting them to play loud heavy metal music, according to a Sheriff's Office report.
She told deputies that when she tried to go back to sleep, her husband came into the room again and yanked the comforter off the bed, causing her to fall to the floor. According to the report, he then grabbed her by the chin, pulled her head back and said, "B— get up."
Rebecca Troutman told deputies she used her cell phone to record how loud the music was playing on the TVs. She then went back to her room and used a chair to block the door.
Deputies said that she also told them previous instances of domestic violence. She told authorities that in 2018, her husband hit her in the face when she refused to give him the passcode to her cell phone. According to the Sheriff's Office report, she provided pictures of the injuries.
She also claimed her husband broke her pinky finger during an argument in 2015. She told deputies she had a neighbor take her to a hospital for treatment.
Baxter Troutman was charged with one count of aggravated battery and two counts of battery. He previously served as state representative for District 66.