A Miramar Police officer was arrested after authorities said he choked his girlfriend during an argument.
Officer Orlando Marrero, 24, was arrested Sunday on a charge of domestic battery by strangulation, an arrest report said.
According to the report, Hialeah Police officers responded after an off-duty Medley officer reported a struggle between Marrero and his live-in girlfriend.
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The girlfriend told officers she was involved in a verbal argument with Marrero because he wanted to end their relationship and move out of their home a week before Christmas, the report said.
She said it escalated when she took a computer mouse and threw it on the floor, breaking it, and that's when she said Marrero grabbed her by the throat "causing her to have a hard time to breathe" and she began to see "stars," the report said.
She struggled to get away and said she wound up in a headlock, but didn't know how she got out of it, the report said.
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When she took her phone out to try to call her son for help Marrero slapped it out of her hand, the report said.
She said she ran to get the phone and he wrapped his arms around her, but eventually let go when the off-duty officer separated them, the report said.
The off-duty officer said he was driving by and saw Marrero wrestling his girlfriend in the front of the home and heard a female scream "let me go," the report said.
The report said the girlfriend was bruised on both arms and had scratch marks on her shoulder blade.
Marrero was booked into jail, where he was being held on $5,000 bond, records showed.
In a statement Tuesday, Marrero's attorney said he's innocent.
"Orlando Marrero is innocent of all charges. He is the true victim in this case and has been for a while but as a man and police officer being the victim of domestic violence is very difficult to confront so he decided to break up and leave," attorney Stephan Lopez said in the statement. "His now now ex-girlfriend, unhappy with the breakup and losing control, decided to fabricate a story to get him back. The truth will come out, there are other witnesses who have seen her controlling and aggressive behavior towards him. Orlando is innocent and in court the truth will come out!"
Marrero, who has been with the department since August 2022, has been relieved of duty, Miramar Police Chief Delrish Moss said in a statement Monday.
"It is important to emphasize that Officer Marrero, like all citizens, enjoys the presumption of innocence. However, due to the gravity of the situation, we have been compelled to relieve him of duty while the investigation unfolds. We are fully cooperating with the Hialeah Police Department and are committed to providing them with any assistance they may require," Moss' statement read. "The Miramar Police Department takes incidents of this nature very seriously, and we want to assure you that we are dedicated to upholding the highest standards of integrity and accountability within our department. We understand the significance of maintaining public trust, and we will do everything in our power to ensure that our community continues to have confidence in our officers. We also want to emphasize that our thoughts are with the alleged victim in this incident and all who are affected. Their well-being and safety are of utmost importance to us."
