A 22-year-old Ocala woman was arrested after she wielded a hammer during a domestic spat on Sunday afternoon.
The victim told a Marion County sheriff’s deputy that he and Melody Marie Salinas were arguing in the master bedroom about issues with the house and her not wanting him there. He said Salinas became so irate that she went to the garage, which is across the hall from the bedroom, and grabbed a hammer, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The victim said when he saw Salinas with the hammer, he brought his phone up to his face to unlock it with the face recognition feature. He said before it was unlocked, Salinas came and bumped him with her body while taking the phone from his hands and throwing it across the bedroom. The victim said Salinas then took the hammer and hit the wall about three times, the report said.
Salinas told the deputy said she was looking for some papers. She said she asked the victim what he did with them and he couldn’t remember. Salinas said she went into the garage and grabbed a hammer, but she said she did not have any intention of hitting or threatening the victim with it, according to the report.
Salinas said when she saw the victim with the phone up to his face, she grabbed it out of his hand and threw it in the bedroom. She said she then hit the wall with the hammer three times and then dropped the hammer to the floor before walking out the door. Salinas said she did not touch the victim whatsoever when she took the phone from his hand, the report said.
The victim’s recollection of the incident remained consistent throughout, while Salinas initially did not include parts of what occurred or said she didn’t remember what happened. Based on the statements given by both parties, the deputy placed Salinas under arrest, according to the report.
Salinas was charged with simple battery and taken to the Marion County Jail, where she was released Monday on her own recognizance. She is scheduled to appear in Marion County Court on Feb. 9, 2021.