JACKSONVILLE, Fla. -- Clifton Day was no stranger to police.
The 55-year-old was shot by a Jacksonville Sheriff's Office SWAT team officer Thursday after he ignored orders and reached for a gun. Police say Day tried to run his ex-wife's car off the road, and in the process he flipped his own vehicle. Officers were trying to free him when they noticed a gun inches away from his head.
Action News has learned Day had a long history of ignoring a restraining order to stay away from Sandy Day.
The two were married for more than 30 years, but it wasn't until November of 2011 that she began reporting his violent behavior.
That's when, according to a police report, Day sat on his wife and choked her until she almost passed out. Day was arrested for felony battery after their daughter told police, "my dad tried to kill my mom by choking her." Day responded, "I guess I deserve this."
That December, his wife and daughter moved out and filed a restraining order, requiring him to stay at least 500 feet away.
But according to police, Day was arrested again in February 2012 for leaving his wife 45 phone messages. A police report details that she told police she felt threatened when he said that "even though she had a gun, she couldn't watch her back to keep someone from putting blood clots in her hair."
But that April, one month after his wife filed for divorce, Day showed up at her home wanting to get back together, resulting in another arrest. Sandy Day told police she believed he followed their daughter home from work to find them.
Then again that June, Day was spotted at a restaurant just across the street from the home. He told police he thought he was beyond the 500-foot restriction, but police found it to be only 254 feet away. He was arrested again.
According to police, Day was Baker Acted later that year.
Their divorce was finalized in December 2012.
