Man and woman did drugs in Bradenton. It got worse when he pulled out the machete, cops say

A night of “smoking and snorting molly” evolved into a night of terror on July 7 for a Bradenton woman who told law enforcement she was sure she was going to die at the hands of 45-year-old Leonard Green Jr.

Manatee County sheriff’s deputies say the suspect and the victim worked together and after a phone call Green received that appeared to agitate him, things quickly spiraled out of control, beginning with Green slapping the victim for no apparent reason.

Deputies say Green then forced the victim into her vehicle while brandishing a machete and made her drive to a family member’s home where the victim attempted to plead for help but the family member spoke poor English and didn’t understand. According to the report, Green caught this attempt, grabbed the victim by the neck and forced her back into her vehicle.

Deputies say Green then forced the victim to an abandoned apartment complex in the 2900 block of 36th Avenue East while he continued to threaten her with the machete.

Green forced her out of the vehicle and onto the ground and grabbed a shovel from the vehicle, according to the report.

The victim told deputies that Green was yelling at her the whole time, but, “She was too scared to understand what he was saying,” and that Green then slapped her again.

According to the report, Green became nervous and began looking around to see if anyone was in the vicinity, dropped the shovel and reached for the machete. The victim attempted to reach for it as well, “because she was scared of what he was going to do ... and in fear for her life.”

Green “stomped” on her head and pulled the machete away from the victim, slicing her hand open, deputies say.

Green eventually fell asleep after driving around town some more and the victim was able to escape to notify law enforcement.

Green was booked into the Manatee County jail July 16 on false imprisonment and assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill charges. He remains in custody.

This story was originally published July 18, 2019 at 7:48 AM.