An Ocala man was arrested recently after he allegedly knocked out another man in an unprovoked attack at The Centers mental health hospital.
Jason Lee Soverns, 30, of 1140 NW 42nd Lane, was charged with simple battery. The nursing supervisor at the hospital, located at 5664 SW 60th Ave., told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy that Soverns stood up and approached the victim in an aggressive manner and punched him twice in the face with a closed fist, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The nursing supervisor said the victim fell to the ground and Soverns started to kick him in the stomach. She said the victim didn’t touch Soverns and the attack was unprovoked, the report said.
The victim, who is 62 years old, said he was sitting in the lobby waiting to speak to doctor and Soverns was sitting beside him yelling racial slurs and talking loudly. He said he thought Sovern was on the phone, so he asked him who he was talking to. The victim said Soverns stood up and started striking him with a closed fist. He said he was knocked to the ground and hit his head on the tile, causing him to pass out, according to the report.
The victim said he woke up with Soverns continuously kicking him in the ribs. The deputy observed swelling and redness on the left side of the victim’s face, the report said.
Soverns, who refused to speak to the deputy about the incident, was taken to the Marion County Jail. He was released Thursday on $1,000 bond and will appear in Marion County Court on June 10 at 1 p.m.