PANAMA CITY — A registered sex offender again has been arrested after he allegedly choked a woman until she fell unconscious and then threatened her as he drove her around in her car, according to official reports.
John Lee Hutcheson, 33, appeared in court Saturday on charges of carjacking, theft, battery and false imprisonment. The Bay County Sheriff's Office reported the incident started about 11:30 a.m. Friday when the woman, who will not be identified, called to report she had been attacked and then had her car stolen at the intersection of East Avenue and East Eighth Street in Panama City.
Deputies arrived and spoke with the woman, who stated she had been with Hutcheson at a home in Southport when he allegedly began choking her and she lost consciousness. After that, she and Hutcheson left the residence in her vehicle, ultimately traveling down East Avenue. Hutcheson allegedly began making statements that made the woman uneasy, including that her vehicle now belonged to him, and if she wanted to see her kids again that she would remain quiet, BCSO reported.
"During the course of this conversation, Hutcheson also took the victim's cellular phone from her," officers wrote. "At some point, Hutcheson stopped the vehicle and the victim was able to get out. Hutcheson left the area. A witness to the incident verified seeing the victim jump out of the vehicle and that the vehicle then took off."
Hutcheson later was located, arrested and taken to jail. Officers then discovered he had an outstanding warrant for stalking out of Springfield.