APOPKA, Fla., Nov. 19 (UPI) -- George Zimmerman was being held on $9,000 bond after facing a judge over allegations he pointed a gun at his girlfriend during a fight in their Florida home.
Zimmerman was acquitted of second-degree murder in the shooting death of unarmed teen Trayvon Martin in Sanford, Fla., in July.
Since then he's been linked to a domestic dispute with his estranged wife and her father though no charges were filed. The most recent incident began when Zimmerman, 30, called 911 during an altercation with his girlfriend, Samantha Scheibe, who is pregnant with Zimmerman's child, reports said.
Scheibe told police Zimmerman choked her and pointed a shotgun at her during a fight Nov. 11, WESH-TV, Orlando, Fla., reported Tuesday. Police said Zimmerman then barricaded himself inside the couple's Apopka home and caused significant property damage before eventually surrendering.
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Zimmerman's lawyer, Jeff Dowdy, disputed Scheibe's version of events and said Zimmerman's 911 call proves his client's version. Zimmerman said Scheibe told him to leave and that she wanted to raise their child by herself. Zimmerman said he agreed but when he began packing to leave, Scheibe went into a rage and caused the damage herself.
Dowdy said the choking allegation had not been made prior to Tuesday's court appearance.
"My girlfriend, for lack of a better word, has gone crazy on me," Zimmerman told a 911 dispatcher during the fight. "She's pregnant with our child and she told me it would be better if we co-parented and she raised the child on her own, that's fine. I said 'Are you sure this is what you want to do?' She said 'Yes.' As soon as I started packing up my stuff to leave, she just completely changed."
Zimmerman has been charged with felony aggravated assault and battery, domestic violence and criminal mischief. Dowdy said his client is $2.5 million in debt but was hopeful he could post the bond to earn his release.
If he does, Seminole County Judge Fred Schott ordered Zimmerman to wear a GPS monitoring device and prohibited him from contact with Scheibe. He is also prohibited from possessing firearms.
Dowdy told the Orlando Sentinel he spoke with Zimmerman for about 45 minutes prior to Tuesday afternoon's hearing.
"He's doing fine, as well as can be expected," Dowdy said of his client.
Arraignment has been set for Jan. 7.
