An Ocala man was charged with burglary after he allegedly tried to sneak into the home of an acquaintance who claims he banned him from the residence.
The victim told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy that at around 10:30 p.m. Saturday, he saw George Michael Byron, 48, of 13400 W. Hwy. 328, approaching his residence on SW 135th Street. He said Byron made his way through a ditch to the fence line of the property, then continued along the fence line until reaching the driveway, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The victim said Byron stood at the driveway for at least three minutes, looking around as if he was checking to see if anyone was around. He said Byron then “crept” up the driveway and climbed the steps to the porch. The victim said Byron stood there and looked around again, as if he was checking to see if anyone was around. He said Byron opened the door and took a step inside the residence before the victim confronted him, the report said.
Two witnesses corroborated the victim’s account of the incident. Byron told the deputy he came to te residence to get a phone number from the victim so he could call “Fry” the next day to borrow his truck so he could do laundry, according to the report.
Byron denied walking along the fence and said he stopped at the driveway because he didn’t see the victim’s truck but saw a light on in the back room. He said he never went inside the house, and that he always opens the door and yells for the victim, who then tells him to come in, the report said.
The victim said Byron never opens the door to his residence and always knocks before entering. The said he got into an argument with Byron about a month ago over the theft of his phone and told him never to come to his residence again, according to the report.
Byron was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail. He was released Monday on $2,000 bond and will appear in Marion County Court on Oct. 29.