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Ocala
Friday, March 29, 2024

Ocala woman accused of punching man who wouldn’t go to court with her

Amanda Laurito

An Ocala woman was arrested last week after she allegedly punched a man who wouldn’t accompany her to court.

Amanda Laurito, 38, was charged with simple domestic battery after the incident, which happened Thursday at her home on NE 15th Street. The victim told an Ocala Police officer that Laurito was supposed to go to court that morning and he was going to go with her. He said when he decided not to go, she became aggressive and destroyed the house, according to the OPD report.

The victim said he told Laurito he didn’t want anything to do with her at that point, and she punched him in the face with her right hand. The officer observed a large red mark on the left side of the victim’s face, just under his ear, the report said.

Laurito said she and the victim were in an argument about infidelity in their relationship, and the victim told her if she told him the truth, he would be able to forget it and move on. Laurito said when she told the victim she had sex with someone else while he was incarcerated, he became angry and they got into a verbal argument, according to the report.

Laurito said the altercation was only verbal. When asked how the victim obtained the large red mark on the side of his head, she said he must have done it himself. When asked whether she destroyed the house, Laurito said she didn’t and that the victim did it several days earlier, the report said.

A witness, who said she came to stay with the couple a few days ago to help them through their troubles, said she was at the house during a verbal altercation. The witness said as they were yelling, Laurito swung at the victim with her right hand balled into a fist and struck him in the left side of his face. The witness said she called the police at that point, according to the report.

Laurito was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail, where she remained held Tuesday on $500 bond. Once at the jail, she made allegations of sexual battery by the victim that are being investigated. Laurito is scheduled to appear in Marion County Court on July 31.