LEESBURG, Florida—A Leesburg couple’s shower was interrupted last week when their dog alerted them to a woman in their home who was armed with a kitchen knife, according to an arrest affidavit.
Leesburg Police responded to an apartment on Birchwood Court around 6:40 a.m. June 1 on a report of a burglary. When they arrived, they found Jayla L. Tart, 19, who lives in the same apartment complex as the victims, sitting on the couch yelling obscenities at police, clutching the knife with both hands, according to the affidavit.
Police tried to calm the situation and Tart finally threw the knife down after several minutes, and LPD attempted to take her into custody. She repeatedly kicked and struck at police while refusing to be handcuffed and tried to hit officers with a shoe rack. She was taken into custody after more officers arrived and had to be carried to a patrol car, according to the affidavit.
She was transported directly to the Lake County Jail, where she refused to get out of the patrol car and had to be pulled out and placed into a restraint chair, the affidavit states.
The victims told police they were showering together when they heard their dog barking, so the male victim went to investigate. He walked around the apartment and did not find anyone, and as he walked back inside, he saw their bedroom door move and found Tart behind the door holding a knife she took from the kitchen, the affidavit states.
The victims, concerned for their safety, offered to make Tart food and Tart began to threaten them, stating she was going to, “kill you, slice your throat,” the couple told police.
The couple, who told police they had never seen Tart before that morning, escaped to another room and called 9-1-1. Tart was arrested for assault with intent to commit a felony. Resisting an officer with violence and burglary. She has also been charged with violating probation from a previous case and is being held at LCJ on no bond.
