West Florida High teacher suspended after arrest for assault and domestic strangulation

An Escambia County Public Schools teacher was suspended Monday after his arrest for aggravated assault and felony battery.

According to jail records, 48-year-old Michael Taylor is charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, domestic battery by strangulation, one misdemeanor count of battery and a misdemeanor count of cyberstalking.

Taylor is a West Florida High School physical education teacher, according to the school's faculty and staff page, and has been suspended pending the investigation into the charges.

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"Mr. Taylor is currently suspended with pay, pending the outcome of this investigation," ECPS told the News Journal in an email. "This is standard procedure, pursuant to Florida statute."

An arrest report states that Taylor allegedly attacked his partner after she was speaking with another man on the phone.

She told authorities that he "took a pillow and hit her in the face with it multiple times, and then put it on her chest and began to deliver forearm strikes." This allegedly occurred July 2.

The report also says the reporting officer took pictures of what appeared to be bruises on the victim's chest.

In a separate incident around July 7, the reports says he "became physical" and put his forearm against the victim's neck, restricting her airway and causing her to pass out.

Authorities searched the victim's phone and found messages allegedly sent by Taylor that said he would "ruin (the victim's) life" and would send someone to her.

The report also says the victim told authorities that "next time, he'll kill me."

On July 9, the victim said Taylor was retrieving his belongings from the apartment when he "pulled a black Glock handgun from his pocket and held it to (the victim's) head."

The victim said Taylor was upset about a message that was sent to ex-wife, and the victim said she believes Taylor could still be married.

Taylor is the second West Florida High School teacher to be suspended following an arrest. Social studies teacher Jerrod Novotny was suspended in May following an arrest for pointing a gun at his partner.

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: West Florida High School teacher charged with domestic violence, assault