Daytona Beach, FL - A woman has died from injuries she sustained after being punched in the face by a man at the Oyster Bay bar in Daytona Beach. The man's charges have now been changed from Aggravated Battery to Manslaughter.
According to the Daytona Beach Police Department (DBPD), the DBPD responded to the Oyster Bay bar, 500 E. International Speedway Blvd.(ISB), April 29, in reference to a battery call.
The DBPD reports that upon arrival an officer saw the victim, Debra Jost, 54, lying on the floor beside the bar. Several people at the bar said Jost had been hit in the face by a man who had left the scene prior to police arriving. Jost suffered a laceration to the back of her head and had blood coming from her nose and mouth. She was transported by EVAC from the scene to Halifax Hospital as a trauma alert and a crime scene was established.
Witnesses said the man, Michael Lamothe, 35, hugged Jost around her back and grabbed her breasts. Jost became upset and told him to get off of her. A man in the bar told Lamothe to leave and Lamothe started fighting with him. Lamothe left the bar, but returned with another man. Lamothe then punched Jost in the face with a closed fist, which caused her to fall backwards and strike her head on the floor in the bar.
DBPD officers located Lamothe and the other man walking southbound across ISB, just west of Hollywood Blvd. The 2 men were positively identified by the witnesses.
Lamothe was placed under arrest and charged with Aggravated Battery. During the investigation a video of the incident was obtained from the bar and CSI evidence was collected.
Jost's injuries were considered life-threatening and she was under observation at Halifax Hospital. Jost died on April 30th as a result of the injuries inflicted by Lamothe.
Lamothe's charges have been changed from Aggravated Battery to Manslaughter.
Copyright Southern Stone Communications 2017.
(Michael Lamothe's mugshot courtesy of DaytonaMugshots.com)
