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Port Richey man held on charges in beating

Jeffrey C. Crouch has been accused of assaulting his girlfriend three other times, but has been acquitted twice.

By Times Staff Writer
Published October 20, 2005

PORT RICHEY - He spent more than a year in jail in 1987, accused of raping and killing his wife. The charges were dropped.

He was a suspect in the 1998 death of his 20-month-old son, who died from a blow that broke his skull. He was never charged.

He has stood trial three times over allegations that he battered his girlfriend. Twice, he was acquitted. Once, in 2000, prosecutors prevailed. He served 20 days in jail.

Jeffrey C. Crouch, 50, was arrested again Monday, accused of battering that same girlfriend, Melissa Uhr, as well as a man, Salvatore Spano, who was visiting Crouch's home that day on 5701 Regis Ave.

Port Richey police say Crouch pushed Spano to the ground face first and choked him, leaving a rug burn on his face. Then he punched his girlfriend in the face and threw her on the floor as she tried to intercede and call police, a police report says.

Crouch was being held in the county jail Wednesday in lieu of $6,000 bail, facing charges of battery, domestic battery and tampering with a witness.

In past trials, Uhr has been a reluctant witness for prosecutors. Each time she testified, she took the blame for instigating fights with Crouch.

In 1987, Crouch was arrested on a first-degree murder charge after his wife was found strangled on Green Key Beach in New Port Richey. Prosecutors dropped the charge after a judge ruled that Crouch's alleged confession could not be used at trial.

[Last modified October 20, 2005, 01:20:19]