ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. — A former St. Augustine commissioner is speaking out about his recent arrest.
Action News Jax first told you about 74-year-old Errol Jones on Tuesday. He was arrested for battery so we went to his house to get his side of the story.
He came home as Action News Jax's Erica Bennett was walking away.
“The only thing is that she lied. Police took her at her word,” he explained.
He’s talking about Jamie Ponce. According to Jones, she’s the girlfriend of his tenant at his home on De Haven Street. Police showed up Monday after multiple disconnects from 911. She called and allegedly said “Errol Jones is off the chain again.”
When officers got there, both she and Jones were arrested.
“At my age, things happen. Unfortunately, this was an unfortunate incident. I apologize to my friends, my family or whoever,” he continued.
[ Former St. Johns County commissioner arrested on battery charges ]
The report said this whole thing started when Ponce noticed some money was missing. She confronted her boyfriend and things heated up from there.
Jones said he came out to see what was going on, and that’s when the woman “lost it.” She told officers Jones shoved her down on her bed and slapped her three times.
We asked him about the attack.
“So did you put your hands on her?” Action News Jax Erica Bennett asked.
“Hell no,” Jones responded.
“Yes, it’s an embarrassment, but I’m at the age where sometimes that happens and you have to move on,” Jones said.
This isn’t Jones’ first legal run-in. He was arrested back in 2011 for resisting arrest, something he said was falsely portrayed. As for Ponce, Jones said she’s banned from his home.
[ 2016 story: Former St. Johns County city commissioner arrested twice over the weekend ]