An Ocala man who is accused of attacking his lady friend in a rage of jealousy found himself behind bars earlier this week.
The victim told Marion County sheriff’s deputies that 34-year-old Richard Joe Davis came to her residence Sunday at about 4 a.m. and within 30 minutes started looking through her cell phone due to a suspicion she was dating someone else.
She said Davis eventually started hitting her on her arm and face until she fled to the bathroom and locked the door behind her, a sheriff’s office report states.
The victim said Davis removed the bathroom door and started hitting her again. She said he re-entered the bathroom multiple times throughout the night and would be physically and verbally abusive to her, the report says.
The victim added that she was finally able to get to her bedroom, where she noticed the sun had come up. She said Davis came into the room to apologize but she didn’t “want anything to do with him,” so he put on his shoes and a jacket and started walking in the neighborhood until she called law enforcement for help, the report says.
The victim raised her shirt sleeve to show deputies where she claimed to have been hit but no injury was visible. They did notice slight bruising on her left eye and ear but she didn’t wish to be evaluated by EMS personnel.
Deputies attempted to contact Davis multiple times by phone but weren’t able to reach him. They also went to his residence at 9744 NW 30th Ave. but he wasn’t there, the report says.
Davis was arrested the following day in Ocala Estates and transported to the Marion County Jail. He was charged with battery and released Tuesday night on $500 bond. He is due to appear in court on Dec. 27 at 1 p.m.