A violent Christmas Day spat with a live-in man friend left an 80-year-old Ocklawaha woman behind bars.
Marion County sheriff’s deputies were called to a home on SE 128th Place Road and when they arrived, the victim said 80-year-old Patricia Anne Ward-Walker had slapped him. He said a group had gathered at the residence to celebrate Christmas and he had yelled at several children in the room to calm down.
The victim said Ward-Walker told him not to yell at the kids, pointed her finger at him and told him to go to his room, to which he replied, “(Expletive deleted) no.” He said Ward-Walker then struck him but he didn’t touch her any time during the altercation, a sheriff’s office report states.
Ward-Walker admitted to slapping the victim, saying she thought he was cussing at her. She added that she was angry and didn’t want to be disrespected, the report says.
Ward-Walker was taken into custody and transported to the Marion County Jail, where she was charged with battery. She was released Thursday night on her own recognizance and is due in court Jan. 29 at 1 p.m. to answer to the charge.