Rapper Rick Ross was arrested Thursday following accusations from a woman that he repeatedly struck her and restricted her breathing during a domestic dispute at his Star Island mansion in August, according to Miami Beach police. Ross, whose legal name is William Leonard Roberts II, voluntarily surrendered to detectives at Miami Beach Police headquarters Thursday morning before being booked into the Turner Guilford Knight Correctional Center at 6:10 a.m. The 50-year-old artist faces one felony count of battery by strangulation and one misdemeanor count of battery stemming from the incident, which was reported to authorities on September 29. According to the arrest affidavit, Ross and the victim had lived together for about a year. The woman told investigators that the altercation began on the morning of August 28 when Ross became angry after seeing her tagged in an Instagram photo. She alleged that Ross slapped her, accused her of being involved with someone else, struck her chest, and restricted her breathing by twisting her hoodie collar. The affidavit further claims that Ross grabbed her ponytail, slammed her against a wall, struck her face, and attempted to spray her with a shower head before she was able to leave the residence. Police stated that the woman provided a sworn statement, timestamped injury photographs, and home surveillance video. Both Ross and his attorney, Bradley Horenstein, strongly denied the accusations. In an Instagram video statement, Ross declared his total innocence, and Horenstein urged the public to withhold judgment while the legal process moves forward. During a Zoom bond hearing on Thursday morning, Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Mindy Glazer found probable cause and set bond at $5,000 total for the charges. Judge Glazer also issued a strict stay-away order preventing Ross from having any contact with the victim, ordered him to surrender all firearms, and prohibited him from possessing weapons or using illegal drugs. Ross bonded out later Thursday morning and posted another video on his way to the airport as he prepared to travel for weekend performances in Dubai and Paris. His arraignment is scheduled for October 22.
Source: cbsnews.com
