TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) - A Tallahassee woman is behind bars after police say she punched a woman during an argument over a lighter and sent her to the hospital with serious injuries.
According to court documents, Tallahassee police responded to the intersection of West Pensacola Street and Dupree Street on Feb. 3.
Police say they received reports that a victim had been beat up and was currently bleeding from the face.
When police arrived on the scene the victim was able to tell officers that she was hit by 41-year-old Thadra Smith, but had to be taken to Tallahassee Memorial Hospital due to her medical condition.
Documents say police then spoke to a witness who said she saw the victim sitting on the side walk, clearly in pain. The witness also said she could see large amounts of blood coming from the victim's eye, which led her to stop and call the police.
A day after the incident, police went to visit the victim who was located in the surgical intensive care unit at TMH. Police spoke with the victim's nurse who told them that she had suffered from a fractured orbital socket, fractured front jaw, and may possibly lose her eye due to damage.
Documents say the victim was sedated when police were at the hospital so they were unable to interview her at that time.
Days later, police went back to the hospital and spoke with the victim about the incident. The victim told police that she was approached by Smith who wanted her lighter.
She refused to give up her lighter even after Smith offered her $20 for it. They began arguing over the lighter and at some point, Smith punched the victim in the face.
Police say the victim only remembers being punched in the face and couldn't provide any other details after that occurred.
Based on the evidence, Smith was arrested and transported to the Leon County Detention Center on Thursday. She is being charged with aggravated battery causing bodily harm or disability.
