Marion County sheriff’s deputies were called to On Top of the World in Ocala shortly after midnight Thursday after a gate at one of the entrances into the retirement community was damaged.
When deputies arrived at 9287 SW 91st Court Road, they made contact with a man and his girlfriend. Deputies noted that the man “was under the influence of alcohol” and told them that he had “(expletive deleted) up.” When asked what he meant, the man said the gate guard wouldn’t let him in because he couldn’t reach a homeowner to get authorization. The man said he had been in and out of the community numerous times, and when he was asked to leave he attempted to drive around the gate to gain entry “but apparently caused damage to the arm and his truck,” a sheriff’s office report states, adding that man said didn’t intentionally try to damage the gate.
Deputies also spoke with the gate guard who called for help. He said he wouldn’t let the man in because he couldn’t reach the homeowner he was trying to visit. And he added that the man was supposed to make a U-turn and exit the subdivision, but instead he drove through the exit gate arms and caused the damage, the report says.
The gate guard wasn’t sure if On Top of the World management wanted to press charges, nor could he give a damage estimate. Deputies also noted that the gate arm appeared to be hanging a little lower than normal and a red cap had come off the end of it but otherwise it appeared to be functioning normally, the report says.