Donald Buie has been suspended without pay pending an internal affairs investigation

A Marion County Sheriff’s sergeant was arrested Friday on charges of false imprisonment, two counts of domestic battery by strangulation, battery, and assault.

Sgt. Donald Buie was transported to the Marion County Jail. He posted a $31,500 bond and was released Friday afternoon. The Star-Banner reached Buie by phone but he declined comment.

Sheriff Billy Woods, in an email to employees, announced the arrest.

“It hurts me, it hurts his fellow employees and most importantly, it hurts the victim,” Woods said.

In the half-page letter, Woods wrote that “a poor choice made by one individual will not deter us from upholding our commitment to our citizens.”

He added: “Our zero tolerance approach to domestic violence remains unchanged. Our goal of providing domestic violence victims with all the help and resources we have available, is still a priority.”

Buie has been suspended without pay pending an internal affairs investigation. Sheriff's officials said that if the allegations are substantiated, then he will be fired.

Lt. Donnie Winston’s probable cause affidavit states that on Dec. 10, the victim called the Ocala Police Department to report a suspicious incident at her home. The victim said someone had placed numerous pictures of her on the Christmas wreath that was hanging on her front door.

The victim said her ex-husband, Buie, is the only one who had access to the pictures. She said she “endured years of physical and mental abuse while married to him,” the affidavit says.

The woman said she’s afraid of Buie, an experienced deputy and major crimes supervisor who has been with the agency for 19 years. The woman said the batteries she suffered at his hands occurred at their residence, which is located in unincorporated Marion County.

The victim detailed several instances of domestic violence dating back to 2010. She also provided in-home surveillance video that shows the abuse, the affidavit says.

In one surveillance video, dated Jan. 18, 2015, Buie and the victim are shown arguing. Buie was “kicking the victim” and “trying to slap or punch” her but missed, the affidavit says. She goes into a bedroom, where he grabs her by her throat/neck area.

While in the bedroom, she said, Buie grabbed her by the throat and choked her for an unknown amount of time, the affidavit says.

In another surveillance video, dated Sept. 13, 2017, the victim is shown entering a room when Buie, holding a belt, also enters the room. He throws the belt on the bed and walks away, the affidavit says.

The woman is then seen on the floor on her hands and knees on one side of the bed. While she is on the floor, Buie comes into the room and kicks her right side, by her ribs, the affidavit says.

She said Buie was in the shower and screaming for her because the dog had relieved itself under the bed. She said she got some cleaning supplies and was walking toward the bedroom when a naked Buie, standing with the belt in his hand, stared at her. She said she was afraid of him and waited for him to return to the bathroom before cleaning the mess.

The woman said she moved out in March 2018. A few months before leaving, there were other incidents of abuse, the affidavit says.

On one occasion, she said, they were arguing when he choked her. She said he told her it was her fault and she needed to “stop pushing his buttons.” She also detailed two instances when he choked her to the point of unconsciousness, the affidavit says.

At the Sheriff’s Office, Buie has served as a deputy, detective, supervisor, member of the U.S. Marshals Services Florida Regional Fugitive Task Force and one of the honor guards that in 2012 topped 17 other teams in a competition.

Before becoming a supervisor, Buie either solved or assisted in many homicide investigations, including the death of Heather Strong at the hands of Joshua Fulgham and Emilia Carr and the arrest of Jolgar Desir, who was convicted of the murder of an Orange Lake man.

Buie was one of more than a dozen men and women promoted to sergeant in 2016.

In 2013, Buie signed what was considered a "last chance" agreement, according to his personnel file. An internal investigation found that he violated the agency's code of conduct by sending harassing and threatening text messages to a woman.

The agreement said Buie would face termination if he engaged in any more wrongdoing.

That agreement was lifted in June, the personnel file shows. In a letter explaining that move, Woods noted that Buie had conducted himself "with the professionalism, honor and integrity which I have long known you to possess."

Buie's personnel file also is packed with awards, commendations and praise for jobs well done.

Contact Austin L. Miller at 867-4118, austin.miller@starbanner.com or @almillerosb