A 23-year-old Ocala man was arrested last week for allegedly battering a woman in front of her 2-year-old son.
The victim told an Ocala Police officer that she and her live-in boyfriend of approximately a year, Keyondre Reshard Smith, and her child from a previous relationship were behind her mother’s residence on Oct. 15. She said she was trying to talk to Smith and he was ignoring her, according to the OPD report.
The victim said she became angry and told Smith she was done with him and he needed to leave her mother’s residence. She said Smith became angry and pushed her against a vehicle that was in the back yard, then grabbed her in a bear hug. The victim said she punched Smith twice in the face to get away from him, then saw her 2-year-old was walking away from the residence towards a nearby park, the report said.
The victim said she walked behind the child and Smith followed her, arguing with her and calling her profane, derogatory names. She said Smith punched her once in the back of the head with a closed fist. The victim said she told Smith, “I’m not fighting you in front of my kid,” and took her child and walked back to her mother’s residence, according to the report.
The victim said Smith walked back with her and continued arguing with her and calling her names, then blocked her from entering the back door of her mother’s home. She said when she got around him and was going inside, Smith slapped her twice on her left cheek with an open hand, the report said.
The victim said her mother saw Smith slap her and and ordered him to leave. He walked out into the street and challenged one of the victim’s sisters to fight. The victim called the police and Smith left the area before the officer arrived, according to the report.
No visible injuries were detected on the victim. Her mother confirmed to the officer that she saw Smith try to slap the victim multiple times in the face, the report said.
A neighbor told the officer she had just seen Smith walking between two residences. The officer waited to see if he returned and observed him moments later. Smith was placed in handcuffs and escorted to the patrol vehicle, according to the report.
After being read his Miranda rights, Smith told the officer he and the victim were arguing because she accused him of cheating on her for the past two months. Smith said he pushed the victim slightly in the argument to “get her out of my face,” and she responded by punching him twice in the face with a closed fist, the report said.
Smith said he and the victim remained outside arguing until she walked in the back door of the residence. He said as the victim went inside, he reached up and touched her on the face. Smith said the victim’s mother told him to leave the residence and he argued briefly with her and the victim before leaving, according to the report.
When asked if he ever slapped or punched the victim, Smith said he didn’t. He demonstrated to the officer how he “touched” the victim’s face and said he was caressing her face as opposed to slapping her. Smith had a slight, reddish abrasion about an inch in length under his right eye. He said it was from when the victim punched him, the report said.
Smith charged with simple domestic battery and taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was released the next day on his own recognizance. He’ll appear in Marion County Court on Dec. 3.