A 70-year-old Ocala man was arrested after he allegedly shoved a woman and threatened her with a knife during a domestic spat over money she took out of their bank account.
The victim, who is also over the age of 65, told two Marion County sheriff’s deputies on Thursday that she and Martin Osborn Goins had gotten into an argument the previous day and Goins came out of the kitchen with a small knife in his hand. She said Goins made several threats to kill her while he was holding the knife, according to the sheriff’s office report.
The victim said she turned around and started to walk away and Goins pushed her in the back, causing her to fall. She said she got to her feet quickly and was afraid Goins was going to kill her. The victim said Goins approached her with the knife in his hand and ordered her to sit in the recliner chair in the living room, the report said.
The victim said Goins stood in front of the door and told her not to call law enforcement for 19 minutes. She said she was “scared to death.” The victim said Goins has battered her in the past. She said in November 2020, he threatened her with a firearm and told her if she left the location, he was going to shoot her, according to the report.
Goins told the deputy he and the victim got into and argument on Wednesday. He said he confronted her while he was preparing food in the kitchen and had a small kitchen knife in his hand. Goins said he didn’t remember what he said to the victim during the argument, but he did tell her to sit in the recliner chair, the report said.
Asked why he brought the knife into the living room, Goins said he forgot he had it in his hand. He said he placed the knife on a table in front of his recliner chair, which was about two feet from where the victim was sitting, according to the report.
The victim then said she and Goins got into another argument on Thursday and she told him she was going to call law enforcement. She said she was on the phone with a Marion County Public Safety call taker when Goins grabbed the phone out of her hand. The victim said the call taker told Goins to give the phone back to her and he did. She said Goins’ brother was present during the incident, the report said.
After being read his Miranda warning, Goins said he did take the victim’s phone, but he didn’t know she had called 911. He also said his brother was present during the incident, according to the report.
Goins’ brother said the victim told Goins and him that she was going to call law enforcement. He said after the victim called law enforcement, Goins grabbed the phone out of the victim’s hand. Goins’ brother said he told Goins to return the phone to the victim and he did, the report said.
Goins was charged with Domestic battery on a person 65 years of age or older, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, and kidnapping/false imprisonment. He was taken to the Marion County Jail, where he was released Friday on his own recognizance. He will appear in Marion County Court on March 9.