ORANGE COUNTY, FL – An Orange County deputy was arrested in Volusia County on Wednesday. Accused of assaulting his 13-year-old daughter over her use of a tablet, Tristan Chattic, 39, now faces felony aggravated child abuse charges.
Chattic, who joined the Orange County Sheriff’s Office in February 2015, has been stripped of his law enforcement duties and placed on leave without pay while the investigation into his conduct continues.
As specified in the arrest affidavit from the Volusia Sheriff’s Office, the altercation broke out when Chattic’s daughter used the Alexa feature on her tablet to assist with her homework. This was something that Chattic vehemently objected to. Things reportedly escalated, culminating in Chattic allegedly slapping the girl, choking her, stepping on her back, and hitting her with his belt.
Chattic’s wife said that although she didn’t see the start of the incident, she claimed she did witness her husband stepping on their daughter’s back while hitting her with a belt. According to the affidavit, she described him as being in a state of rage. She also said Chattic’s temper has recently grown increasingly uncontrollable, and she expressed fear about the volatility of their relationship.
When deputies questioned Chattic, he initially pretended to be unaware of the incident, per the arrest affidavit. But he soon admitted he had been upset because he had grounded his daughter from using electronics. He reportedly described his interactions with his daughter as an attempt to “scare” her.
Chattic was arrested after variations in the statements and missing video footage from a home camera raised deputies’ suspicions. His supervisors relieved him of his duties, and his patrol car and law enforcement belongings were taken away. Chattic was transported to the Volusia County Branch Jail.
Sheriff John Mina described the allegations against Chattic as “extremely serious,” emphasizing that his office holds deputies to the highest ethical standards, whether on duty or not.