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Friday, March 29, 2024

Ocklawaha man jailed after neighbor claims he battered woman

Douglas Gale Long

An Ocklawaha man was arrested after a neighbor reported seeing him shove and batter a woman during a nasty domestic spat.

Douglas Gale Long, 48, was charged with simple battery after the incident, which an anonymous caller reported to the Marion County Sheriff’s Office at around 3:15 p.m. Tuesday. Deputies arriving at the incident location could see and hear the victim yelling at an unknown person – later identified as Long – who was outside their view.

A deputy spoke with the victim, who immediately became uncooperative. She initially said nothing physical took place and that she and Long were just arguing. The deputy observed bruising on the victim’s right forearm and saw cuts on both of her wrest and the tops of her hands and arms. The victim’s clothes were dirty and covered with leaves and other ground debris, according to the sheriff’s office report.

The deputy spoke with several neighbors in an attempt to gather more information, finally contacting an eyewitness who lives right behind the couple. The witness said Long and the victim constantly fight. She said on this occasion she saw the victim try to leave the yard and Long grab her and shove her back, causing her to fall, the report said.

The witness said Long then tackled the victim and they tussled on the ground. She said when Long saw deputies arrive, he quickly got up and ran away. Asked who made first contact, the witness said she saw Long push the victim on her shoulder, according to the report.

The deputy then asked the victim to tell the truth about what happened, and she provided a signed, sworn written statement that Long hit her. She said she didn’t want to pursue charges against him because she loves him. The deputy told the victim that the state of Florida has a zero-tolerance policy in reference to domestic cases such as this, the report said.

Deputies later located Long outside the incident location and detained him. After being read his Miranda warning, Long admitted that he put his hands on the victim’s shoulder but said, “It wasn’t like that.” He said the victim fell on the ground but only because she tripped on her own, according to the report.

Long was arrested and taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was still being held Friday morning on $1,000 bond. He is scheduled to appear in Marion County Court on Feb. 17.