An 18-year-old Ocala man was arrested Thursday night after allegedly telling his 8-months-pregnant girlfriend he was going to beat her during a loud parking lot argument that sparked multiple 911 calls from witnesses.
Richard L. Kohler, of 4252 SW 145th Place, was charged with domestic assault of a pregnant victim. Additional charges of possession of cocaine and paraphernalia were added when a small amount of the drug was found in Kohler’s personal property while he was being booked into the Marion County Jail.
Ocala Police were called to the Game Stop store, at 2800 SW 24th Ave., to respond to a disturbance that had become very loud. The victim told the responding officer that she and Kohler got into an argument over the cost of a video game. She said she chose to let Kohler purchase the game he wanted and went outside to calm down and get some air.
According to the police report, the victim said Kohler approached her outside the store and the argument started again as she walked toward her car. She said Kohler walked up behind her as she was standing near the driver’s-side door. The victim, who told police Kohler has battered her in the past, was afraid he was going to hit her and pushed him away. By this point the disturbance had caught the attention of several witnesses, who called 911, a sheriff’s office report states.
Kohler admitted to police that he walked up on the victim but said he only huffed or grunted, and that he never made any statement to her. He was arrested without incident.
During the intake process at the jail, a Marion County sheriff’s deputy located a small metal cylinder containing a while powdery substance in Kohler’s personal property. A field test identified the powder as cocaine and the additional charges were added.
Kohler was released Saturday on $6,000 bond. He’s scheduled to appear in Marion County Court on April 24.