A Fort Walton Beach man faces multiple felony charges after Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office deputies investigated a domestic battery that took place June 15th.
50-year old Patrick James Conaty of 439 Waterway Lane is charged with domestic battery by strangulation, aggravated battery causing great bodily harm, kidnapping, and violation of pretrial release conditions. Deputies were called to Fort Walton Beach Medical Center June 15th where the victim, Tess Sweeney, was found to have lacerations to a leg and bruising around her throat.
Sweeney says she and Conaty got into an argument over a previous arrest for domestic battery in which she was the victim. Around one a.m., he pushed Sweeney into a full length mirror, causing the cuts to her leg. Sweeney says Conaty then grabbed her by the throat and chocked her until she lost consciousness. When she regained consciousness and tried to leave the home, she says Conaty grabbed her by the throat again and pinned her to the wall until she lost consciousness a second time.
Sweeney was able to get away and travel to the hospital. Deputies found Conaty hiding on the back patio of 445 Waterway Lane. He told them Sweeney walked into the mirror. Based on the previous arrest, a no contact order had been issued April 23rd stating that Conaty was to have no contact with Sweeney. While Sweeney was in the hospital, deputies say she continued to get Facebook messages from Conaty. In addition, since the no contact order had been issued, Conaty and Sweeney had gotten married.
