An Ocala man was arrested recently after allegedly starting a fistfight with his uncle.
Cody Alan Fannin, 20, was charged with simple domestic battery after the incident, which happened around 2 a.m. last Sunday at the victim’s residence on NE 5th Street. The victim told an Ocala Police officer he was at a party with family members at a friend’s house on Feb. 22 night when Fannin started arguing about wanting to drive home.
The victim said he and Fannin drove to his house in separate vehicles. He said once the family was back home, he started arguing with Fannin about causing a scene in front of his friends at the party. The victim said he and Fannin yelled back and forth at each other before Fannin started kicking and swinging at him, trying to strike him. He said the two fought inside the house before being separated by family members, according to the OPD report.
The victim’s brother, who witnessed the incident, said Fannin got up from the couch during the argument, walked over to the victim and started fighting with him. A female family member who was headed back to her hotel said she received a phone call from the victim’s brother saying there was a fight. She said when she returned to the residence, Fannin and the victim were actively fighting, the report said.
Fannin told the officer that he was “bull-(expletive deleted)” with the victim inside the residence and arguing with him. He said the victim became angry and started the fight, according to the report.
The officer observed the residence was in disarray with items such as lamps, CDs and furniture knocked over and scattered on the ground. A fist-sized hole had been punched into the drywall of the living room, and a bedroom had a broken door and shattered pottery on the floor. The officer also observed injuries to Fannin’s face and the victim’s right hand, the report said.
Based on victim and witness statements, the officer determined Fannin was the primary aggressor. He was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was being held on no bond. He is scheduled to appear in Marion County Court on March 20.