An Ocklawaha man is accused of punching a woman and using a knife to imprison her after she asked him why he didn’t pay the electric bill.
Vincent William Aveni, 59, was charged with simple domestic battery, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, and false imprisonment, which happened around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday in his mobile home on SE 131st Street.
The victim told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy that she and Aveni were arguing in the hallway when he punched her in the face. The victim said she stumbled into the spare bedroom, where Aveni pushed her back to the ground, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The victim said Aveni then blocked the doorway, held up a knife and said, “You’re my prisoner in this room and I will stab you.” She said after a few minutes, Aveni went to another room and she went to a neighbor’s house and called 911, the report said.
Aveni told the deputy he didn’t do anything and that the victim tripped over the dog. The deputy observed the victim’s nose was bruised, and inside of her lip was dark blue with a fresh open wound where she said she was punched, according to the report.
The deputy also observed two knives in the master bedroom. One was a kitchen steak knife and the other was an open flip pocketknife. Both knives were next to the doorway where Avani was reportedly standing and blocking the door.
Aveni was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was released Wednesday night on his own recognizance. He’s scheduled to appear in Marion County Court on Jan. 14.