A violent confrontation ended with a husband pinning his wife to a tree with their SUV, according to the Lee County Sheriff's Office (LSCO).
Michael Allen Johnston, 26, is facing several charges including battery with a deadly weapon. The incident occurred at a home along Grandview in Lehigh Acres Thursday.
The partially mangled Tacoma pick up truck, belonging the the victim's father, was still parked in the driveway Friday. A neighbor who lives across the street from Johnston and his family told Four In Your Corner he witnessed the altercation. He did not want his identity revealed.
“It was pretty much unbelievable. I don’t think I can get angry at another person to that extent."
According to an incident report, Johnston was arguing with his wife over cleaning and disciplining the children when things escalated. Johnston's wife told detectives he "brandished a knife and threatened to kill her."
She told detectives she exited the home and tried to call 911; and that's when Johnston allegedly got behind the wheel of their Honda Pilot and sped towards his wife and father-in-law whom were standing in the front yard. Their neighbor described what he saw to Four In Your Corner.
“Jumping the curb and chasing her with the car, and then getting out and pounding her with his fist,” he said.
Their neighbor says the screeching of Johnston's tires is what first brought his attention to what was happening across the street.
“The most overwhelming part I witnessed was him chasing her with the car.”
The victim told detectives the couple's two children were still in their grandfather's truck when Johnston rammed into it. The victims claim Johnston then began speeding towards his wife, pinning her to a tree in their front yard.
“I hate to use the term, it’s like he was trying to kill her! I can’t think of any other reason that you’d do that,” said their neighbor.
Detectives say Johnston took off and later crashed into canal. His wife was left with several broken bones, but she is expected to recover.
The neighbor who witnessed the confrontation says he's heard loud noises at the home in the past. In one incident he claims the couple were running around the outside of the home.
They were chasing each other around the house,” he said.
He now wishes he would have called 911 sooner.
"What I wish I had done, you know when I saw the chasing around the house thing, I wish I had called 911 then,” he said.
