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Thursday, March 28, 2024

70-year-old Ocala man accused of choking woman

Locksley Charles Belkford

A 70-year-old Ocala man was arrested after he allegedly took a woman’s phone away to keep her from calling 911 during an argument that was turning violent and then choked and threatened to kill her.

A Marion County sheriff’s deputy responded Monday to the victim’s residence, where she said she and Locksley Charles Belkford had gotten into an argument on the evening of Jan. 8. The victim said she went to the closet to get Belkford’s clothes and asked him to leave, according to the sheriff’s office report.

The victim said while she was holding the clothes, Belkford came into the bedroom and pushed her onto the floor. She said she yelled she was going to call the police, and Belkford snatched her cell phone from her hands. The victim said she got up and walked backwards and fell a second time into lamp, and then onto the floor, the report said.

The victim said while she was on the floor, between the bed and the wall, Belkford was on top of her, choking her and saying he was going to kill her right then. She said she couldn’t breathe due to being choked and thought she was going to pass out. The victim said she grabbed Belkford’s hand and bit one of his fingers, which made him let go of her, according to the report.

The victim said Belkford left the room yelling and she closed and locked the door, and then pushed the dresser in front of it. She said Belkford came to the bedroom door kicking and hitting it with an unknown object, the report said.

The victim said Belkford continued to hit the door with the object until he was able to enter and push his way in. She said Belkford continued to argue and she did not engage. The victim said Belkord eventually stopped arguing and left the room, according to the report.

The victim said her throat was sore to the touch and she was barely able to swallow. The deputy did not observe any visible marks on her throat. The victim was evaluated by Marion County Fire Rescue medics who advised she go to the hospital for treatment, the report said.

Belkford was charged with domestic battery by strangulation and obstructing justice by tampering with a victim or witness in a second-degree felony proceeding. He was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was released Wednesday on $6,000 bond. Belkford will appear in Marion County Jail on Feb. 16.