Police arrest Coral Springs man after he allegedly chased a woman around a Christmas tree while holding a butcher knife
Coral Springs, Florida – Police in Coral Springs arrested a 47-year-old man following a frightening domestic incident on Christmas Eve that left a woman fleeing her home in fear after being chased with a butcher knife, according to an arrest report released by authorities.
The incident unfolded shortly after midnight at a residence in Coral Springs, where officers were called following a report from a concerned neighbor. Police identified the suspect as Stephen Bouzy Kavanaght, who has been in a long-term relationship with the victim for approximately 20 years. The couple shares four children and had been living together at the home.
According to the arrest report, a witness contacted police after seeing Kavanaght chase the woman around the home while armed with a knife. The witness, who lives nearby, told officers she saw the woman run out of the house in a panic and immediately urged her to seek safety inside her own residence before calling 911.
When officers arrived on the scene, they found the woman visibly shaken. Police noted she was crying and breathing rapidly. At first, she told officers that she and Kavanaght had only been involved in a verbal argument and said she was afraid to return home and wanted to leave the area.
When asked why she feared going back inside, the woman became increasingly distressed. She began crying uncontrollably and explained what had happened earlier that evening. According to the report, the argument began around 7 p.m. when Kavanaght told her he no longer wanted her in the house. She left for several hours in an attempt to allow tensions to cool.
The woman returned home around 11 p.m., but the disagreement quickly resumed. Kavanaght again told her she needed to leave, and she refused. While the woman was inside her bedroom, Kavanaght entered the room and repeated his demand. When she refused once more, police said he took her phone from her pocket and smashed it on the ground.
Fearing for her safety, the woman ran into her daughter’s bedroom to get away from him. A few minutes later, Kavanaght entered the room again. According to the report, he then told her she had 10 seconds “to leave the house or else.”
Police said Kavanaght was holding a large black butcher knife at the time. As he began counting down, he moved toward her with the knife in his hand. The woman pleaded with him to stop, then ran past him, narrowly avoiding him by circling around the Christmas tree inside the home.
Kavanaght chased her around the tree and then out of the house, the report said. Outside, the witness heard the disturbance while taking out the trash. Shortly afterward, she saw the woman run from the home in a frantic state while Kavanaght followed behind her, throwing her luggage outside.
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The woman later told police that several people were inside the home at the time, including her children, but she did not believe any of them witnessed the incident.
When officers attempted to make contact with Kavanaght, he initially refused to come outside. According to police, he told officers he did not know why they were there and said he did not feel safe exiting the house. After several minutes, Kavanaght called the sergeant on scene and said he would come outside before the situation escalated further.
Police took Kavanaght into custody without further incident. He was charged with aggravated assault with the intent to commit a felony. Officers transported him to the Broward County Main Jail.
Court records show that Kavanaght was later released after posting a $20,000 bond.
The case remains part of an ongoing legal process, and no further details were released by police at this time. Authorities reminded the public that domestic disputes can escalate quickly and encouraged anyone experiencing or witnessing similar situations to contact law enforcement immediately.
