An Ocala man with a history of alcohol abuse was arrested after he allegedly shoved a woman who confronted him about drunkenly trying to call her son to his truck.
Edward Kent Athey, 55, off 8900 S. U.S. Hwy. 441, was charged with simple battery on Tuesday, less than two weeks after being nabbed on a DUI charge for the third time in more than 10 years.
The victim said she was outside with her son when Athey, who was drunk, tried to call her child to the truck he was sitting in. She said this made her very uncomfortable and she started yelling at Athey to leave her child alone, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The victim said she went to knock on the door of Athey’s residence to talk to his girlfriend about what happened. She said while she was headed towards the front door, Athey shoved her back by pushing on her upper-left chest near her shoulder. The deputy observed slight redness in the area, the report said.
A neighbor who was getting items out of her car at the time of the incident said she heard Athey and the victim screaming loudly about the issue with the victim’s child, according to the report.
Athey’s girlfriend said she was in the bathroom when the incident took place but said Athey came inside and said he was arguing with the victim and pushed her back slightly because he didn’t want her to tell his girlfriend what had happened. Athey’s girlfriend said he has a huge alcohol problem and isn’t himself when he drinks, the report said.
Athey was receiving medical treatment at the West Marion Hospital at the time of the investigation and was arrested later Tuesday night. He was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was released Wednesday on $1,000 bond. No court information was available, according to the report.