Man Arrested After Chasing Girlfriend With Knife Over Her Refusal to Sell Blood

by Ryan Yousefi October 26, 2025

90Shares

Robert Edward Votto {BSO}

A Coconut Creek man was arrested after police say he chased a woman through a Publix parking lot with a knife after she refused to sell her blood to get money for drugs.

According to a Coconut Creek Police Department arrest report, officers received a 911 call from a witness who claimed a woman was being chased with a knife.

Upon arrival, officers were told by his girlfriend, the victim, that Robert Edward Votto, 44, who is homeless and living in a wooded encampment near West Creek Pineland, became enraged after she refused his demand to donate blood for cash to buy drugs. The woman told officers the argument escalated when Votto repeatedly poked her nose before she struck him in self-defense.

Votto then allegedly grabbed a knife from a nearby picnic table, pointed it toward her face, and threatened to kill her. Fearing for her life, the woman ran through the wooded area and into the Publix parking lot at 4760 West Hillsboro Boulevard, where she pleaded with a bystander to call 911.

Responding officers from the Coconut Creek Police Department located Votto nearby as he attempted to leave the area on a bicycle.

The affidavit noted that the victim previously suffered a stab wound to her foot during a separate altercation with Votto earlier in the week, which she had not reported at the time. She declined medical treatment after Saturday’s attack but told police she feared for her life.

Votto was taken into custody and found to have an active warrant out of Columbia County for a probation violation related to burglary.

Votto was arrested and transported to the Broward County Main Jail.

Got News in Coconut Creek? Send it Here. Don’t Miss reading NW Broward County’s #1 News Sites: Parkland Talk, Coconut Creek Talk, Coral Springs Talk, Margate Talk, Tamarac Talk, and Sunrise FL Talk.

Author Profile

Ryan Yousefi

Ryan Yousefi has lived in Coral Springs for over 30 years. He has worked as a writer for multiples outlets over the years, including the Miami New Times where he has covered sports and culture since 2013. He holds a Bachelor's Degree and a Master's Degree in Business Healthcare Management from Western Governors University.