A 56-year-old Belleview woman admitted to punching an elderly family member during a struggle for his car keys.
Wilma Jean Holly told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy recently that she got into the victim’s vehicle to see how much gas was in the car. She said she didn’t turn on the vehicle or try to turn it on. Holly said the victim ran up to the car, reached inside and leaned against her neck while taking the keys from the ignition. She said she punched the victim when he leaned against her neck, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The deputy didn’t see any injuries on Holly. There were two bottles of water still upright in the cup holders and Holly’s purse was not pushed over as if she was leaned against. The deputy also observed the driver’s seat was pushed away from steering wheel, allowing enough room for someone to reach inside and access the ignition, the report said.
The victim, who is over 65 years old and walks with a cane, told the deputy that Holly has stolen his vehicle multiple times and she had been asking him all morning to take her to Wawa. He said he told her he wouldn’t take her because he couldn’t afford the gas, according to the report.
The victim said when he heard the vehicle start to crank, he immediately walked over to the vehicle and leaned in to remove the keys from the ignition. He said when he leaned in, Holly punched him on the left side of his forehead. He said he was able to get the keys, and he went back inside, sat in his chair and waited for deputies to arrive, the report said.
When asked if he touched Holly, the victim said he did not choke her and he didn’t remember leaning against her or touching her when he went to grab the keys from the ignition, according to the report.
An independent witness said she was sitting in a chair facing the incident when it happened. She said Holly went out to the vehicle and tried to start it twice when the victim came out and approached the vehicle asking for the keys, the report said.
The witness said when Holly refused to give the victim the keys, he leaned over towards the vehicle and Holly struck him in the face before he retrieved the keys. She said she didn’t see the victim lean against Holly at any time, according to the report.
Holly refused to say anything else about the incident. She was charged with domestic battery on a person 65 years of age or older taken to the Marion County Jail. She was released on $500 bond and is due in Marion County Court on June 23.