a day ago
Mainland High teacher charged with aggravated battery on a person 65 or older
A Mainland High School teacher was arrested Aug. 19 after police said she punched her 77-year-old former romantic partner.
Lori Maree Coombs, 56, was charged with felony aggravated battery on a person 65 years or older. She was released on her own recognizance by a judge, according to Volusia County Branch Jail records.
Coombs is prohibited from being on the Mainland campus while the arrest is under investigation, according to a message sent to parents from Principal Melissa Fraine. The message, now deleted, was posted in the comments section of the Daytona Beach Mugshots Facebook page by "Briana Nicolle."
When reached by The News-Journal, the poster said her son attends Mainland High School, and she received the message by email Tuesday morning.
According to the post, Fraine wrote in her email to Mainland High families that she was informing them of Coombs' arrest as required by Florida law.
"Teacher Lori Coombs was recently arrested for aggravated battery on a person 65 years+," Fraine said in her message, adding that police and school officials were investigating the incident.
Volusia County schools' spokesperson Danielle Johnson could not be reached on Wednesday, Aug. 20, for comment.
Police: Coombs argued with victim over infidelity
Daytona Beach police said they were called to the alleged victim's residence on Aug. 18, where he reported that he and Coombs had been in a relationship for two years. Coombs was moving out, and she came to the home to get her belongings, the arrest report noted.
The victim said he didn't have any of her things and invited Coombs into the home to look. The two began arguing over infidelity, and Coombs started hitting the victim with a closed fist, police said.
The victim blocked the blows and, in the process, suffered a small laceration caused by Coombs' fingernails, the report stated.
After her arrest, Coombs told police the victim made a sexual comment toward her when she bent down to pick up a pair of socks, the arrest affidavit said.
Coombs said that the victim reached down to grab the socks but hit her arm and suffered a scratch. She denied entering the victim's home or striking him, according to her arrest report.
Coombs previously arrested for domestic battery, charges dropped
Court records reviewed on Wednesday, Aug. 20, show Coombs was charged in 2020 for slapping and scratching a 58-year-old man she was romantically involved with.
The alleged victim was helping her grade papers and made a mistake, according to an arrest report. She was charged with misdemeanor battery and was released on her own recognizance. The State Attorney's Office filed a "no information" document saying she would not be prosecuted, court records show.
This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Lori Coombs, Mainland teacher, charged with aggravated battery
