Melbourne police have arrested Shane Downs, 41, and charged him with felony domestic battery by strangulation and false imprisonment.
News 13 has confirmed Downs is an Indialantic firefighter.
According to the police report, the incident occurred on May 31, 2014, at a residence Downs shared with his girlfriend, Kaitlin Devitto.
Officers responded to initial call of domestic battery, and spoke with the victim, Kaitlin Devitto.
According to Devitto, she moved in with Downs about three weeks prior to the incident. He recently began text messaging Devitto's mother saying he thought she was a "a drunk and a liar."
The victim's mother grew concerned, and informed the victim of the messages. The mother and daughter agreed the mother would come to pick up the daughter.
Shortly after leaving the residence with her mother, Devitto began receiving text messages from Downs, indicating he was suicidal.
Devitto told officers she had her mother driver her back to the home, to check on Downs.
Upon returning, Devitto noticed several empty beer cans, and Downs even returned from an unknown store with an additional 12 pack of beer.
The two began arguing, Devitto began to pour out the alcohol and liquor, and told Downs she was calling the police for his own safety.
According to statements Devitto made to police, that's when Downs got violent.
Devitto says he grabbed her by throat and began to choke her as he slammed her into the wall, demanding his text messages be deleted.
Devitto says when she was finally able to break free and catch her breath, she began screaming. She said she was able to grab her phone, and exit the house through the back door.
Once in her vehicle Devitto called her mother again, and they notofied police of the incident.
After a brief investigation, Downs was arrested on Thursday June 5, and charged with felony domestic batter by strangulation and false imprisonment.
Downs was booked into the Brevard County Jail. He bonded out of jail as of Saturday morning on a pretrial release.