Boca Raton Woman Accused of Going Mike Tyson on Husband, Biting Off Part of His Ear on I-95 With Kids in the Car
FORT LAUDERDALE — Interstate 95 in South Florida already has a reputation for producing some of the most chaotic driving in America. Apparently, we can now add alleged ear removal to the list.
A 43 year old Boca Raton woman is facing felony charges after Florida Highway Patrol troopers say she bit off a portion of her husband’s right ear while he was driving north on I-95 in Broward County with the couple’s two young children inside the vehicle. Amy Arlene Baker was arrested following an argument with her husband as the family returned from a boat party in the Fort Lauderdale area. According to the arrest report, what began as an argument about problems in their relationship escalated into an alleged assault that left the husband driving himself to West Boca Medical Center with part of his ear missing. Baker has not been convicted, and the allegations described in the arrest report remain allegations.
Argument on I-95 Allegedly Turns Into a Mike Tyson Moment
According to the Florida Highway Patrol arrest report cited by CBS Miami, Baker and her husband were traveling north on I-95 approaching Hillsboro Boulevard when they began arguing about relationship issues. Her husband told investigators Baker struck him on the left side of his face with an open hand. Roughly two minutes later, he alleged, Baker grabbed his head with both hands and intentionally bit into the right side of his ear hard enough to tear away a portion of it. He told investigators he was initially in shock before seeing the amount of blood and realizing how seriously he had been injured.
So, yes, the Mike Tyson comparison is unfortunately unavoidable. Tyson famously bit Evander Holyfield’s ears during their 1997 heavyweight championship rematch. Nearly three decades later, FHP says a marital argument on I-95 somehow produced South Florida’s unofficial remake, except this time the alleged victim was simultaneously trying to operate a motor vehicle. According to Local 10’s account of the arrest report, the husband also alleged that Baker laughed after the bite and initially did not appear to appreciate the severity of his injury. At that point, the evening had clearly moved well beyond couples counseling territory.
He Drove Himself to the Hospital With Part of His Ear Missing
The husband reportedly managed to get off I-95 and drive to West Boca Medical Center. When troopers encountered him there, Local 10 reported that he was wearing a white bandage around his head with apparent blood running down the right side of his neck and onto his clothing. The strangest part of the police account may be what allegedly happened to the missing piece: Baker reportedly acknowledged biting her husband, told investigators she became frustrated and “lost control,” then said she retrieved the detached portion of his ear and handed it to medical personnel at the hospital. CBS Miami reported that the husband was awaiting surgery to attempt to reattach it when the investigating trooper left.
If surgeons successfully reattach the missing section, the husband may still have both ears, although he is probably going to hear Mike Tyson jokes for the rest of his life. He may also have developed an entirely new appreciation for Vincent van Gogh. For the record, Van Gogh did not lose his entire ear or cut it off himself. Historical evidence suggests that he was injured during a fight with a friend outside a brothel. But, I digress…
The Kids Were Allegedly Sitting in the Car
The humor stops pretty quickly when the other passengers are considered. Authorities say the couple’s children, ages 1 and 7, were inside the vehicle during the altercation. Friends who had apparently been traveling behind the family eventually took the children to another location after the family reached the hospital. The Florida Department of Children and Families was contacted following the incident.
Jail records cited by Local 10 show Baker facing one count of aggravated battery causing bodily harm or disability and two counts of child neglect without great bodily harm. The presence of the children also adds another dimension to the danger because authorities allege that the physical confrontation occurred while Baker’s husband was actively driving on I-95. Grabbing, striking or biting someone operating a vehicle at highway speeds creates an obvious potential danger not merely to the occupants but to surrounding motorists. South Florida’s I-95 hardly needed another hazard.
Baker Says Her Husband Hit Her First
There is an important dispute between the accounts provided to investigators. Baker reportedly told authorities that her husband struck her in the face before she bit him. Her husband denied striking her at any point during the altercation. Local 10 reported that Baker initially called 911 herself and said her husband had hit her. After interviewing the parties and investigating the incident, however, the responding FHP trooper identified Baker as the primary aggressor and took her into custody.
Those competing accounts could become important as the criminal case proceeds. An arrest report reflects allegations and an investigating officer’s findings at the beginning of a criminal case; it is not a verdict. Prosecutors will ultimately have to prove any charges they pursue, and Baker is entitled to the presumption of innocence.
So What Does “Reservoir Dogs” Have to Do With It?
If “Reservoir Dogs” came to mind when you heard “ear cut off,” you are remembering one of the most infamous scenes in Quentin Tarantino’s 1992 crime film. Michael Madsen’s character, Mr. Blonde, tortures a captive police officer and cuts off his ear while dancing to Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle with You.”
That gives this uniquely South Florida story three unavoidable pop-culture ear references: Mike Tyson for the alleged biting, Vincent van Gogh for the missing piece and “Reservoir Dogs” for cinematic ear removal. Fortunately for everyone involved, we can leave it there.
A Very Florida Police Report With Very Real Charges
The absurdity of the circumstances described by police should not obscure the seriousness of the case. Aggravated battery is a felony, the husband suffered an injury serious enough that doctors were reportedly preparing to attempt surgical reattachment, and authorities say two young children witnessed their parents’ dispute become physical inside a moving vehicle. Baker was booked into the Broward County Main Jail following the investigation, although Local 10 reported that she was no longer listed in the jail’s online database by Tuesday afternoon.
The allegations will now move through the Broward County criminal justice system, where prosecutors will have to establish what happened inside the vehicle and whether the evidence supports the charges against Baker. Until then, she is presumed innocent. Her husband, meanwhile, will presumably be hoping surgeons can put everything back where it belongs. South Florida has produced plenty of bizarre I-95 stories over the years, but “my wife allegedly bit off part of my ear while I was driving home from a boat party” is going to be difficult to top.
Sources
CBS News Miami — Woman Accused of Biting Off Piece of Husband’s Ear on I-95
WPLG Local 10 — Boca Woman Accused of Biting Part of Husband’s Ear Off on I-95
