PALM BAY — According to public records from the Brevard County Clerk of Courts, a Palm Bay Police officer has been accused of sexual battery.
PBPD Officer Stephen David Ball, 35, currently faces a petition for injunction for protection against sexual violence, filed on Dec. 8, 2022, records showed.
In the redacted document, the unnamed petitioner, a Palm Bay woman, stated the incident occurred on Nov. 25, 2022, while out on a date with the off-duty officer. The records included a detailed report of the incident in the petitioner’s own words.
A warning, some of the following statements might be uncomfortable for some readers.
“Stephen forcefully raped, assaulted and strangled me,” she stated on the report. “I made numerous statements asserting the pain he was inflicting on me and my desire for him to immediately stop penetrating and physically harming me. Through the incident Stephen completely ignored my safety, my well being and I genuinely feared for my life.”
In the report, the petitioner stated Ball is 17 inches taller than she is and, as a cop, keeps guns in his apartment. She stated the officer left her covered in contusions and bite marks, which she photographed.
According to the document, the petitioner said she did not immediately report Ball to PBPD in “fear of retaliation.” She would first report the incident to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement on Dec. 1, 2022.
The Space Coast Rocket reached out to Ball’s legal representation, at the offices of Attorney Kepler Funk, named in the court documents, but did not immediately get a public statement.
SCR has also requested copies of any public records regarding the FDLE’s investigation. A similar request was also left with PBPD, which redirected the request to its internal affairs department.
SCR also contacted the offices of Assistant State Attorney Julia Lynch. A spokesman for the office did not make any immediate public statements either. No charges have been pressed against Ball for this accusation.
At the moment of this report, the injunction against Ball remained temporary, as hearings have been granted multiple continuances by the court.
In the court documents, the petitioner stated she confronted Ball about the incident via text and that he replied saying he was sorry and that “it will never happen again.” SCR has no official statements from the local woman.
Ball could also not be immediately reached for comment.
Special Agent Chris Sheppard, at FDLE, told SCR that any other sexual assault victims who want to come forward can contact the FDLE Orlando Regional Operations Center at 407-245-0888.
This is a developing story. SCR will continue reporting as details become available.