A 44-year-old Ocala woman was arrested after allegedly stealing numerous items from a local convenience store and slapping a deputy.
On Saturday, November 20, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to the Kwik King located at 7947 W Highway 40 in Ocala in reference to a theft.
An employee told the deputy that a woman, later identified as Tonya Marie Getzlaff, had entered the store and was refusing to leave.
According to the employee, Getzlaff allegedly stole items from inside the store and then walked behind the cash register to take additional items.
The deputy found Getzlaff standing in front of the store. Behind her, the deputy observed several cold drinks, food, and a carton of cigars that were not in a bag.
After informing Getzlaff that she was going to be detained in handcuffs, she refused to turn around. According to the MCSO report, when the deputy grabbed her arm to place her in handcuffs, she resisted and began screaming.
The deputy grabbed both of Getzlaff’s arms and led her to the patrol car and another attempt was made to place her in handcuffs. She turned around and slapped the deputy on the head.
The deputy responded by placing Getzlaff on the ground. She turned with her back to the ground and she refused the deputy’s commands to lay on her stomach.
After another failed attempt to place her in handcuffs, the deputy briefly used pepper spray on her face, and the deputy was able to successfully secure her wrists inside the handcuffs.
Upon re-entering the store, the employee told the deputy that Getzlaff had stolen canned sodas and several candy bars, and then she allegedly entered the area near the cash register and took tobacco products.
The employee told Getzlaff to leave, and she refused. The employee then claimed to see her grab a twelve-pack of cigars, another two-pack of cigars, several hemp wraps, and a vape pen, and then she exited the store with those items.
Getzlaff was arrested, transported to Marion County Jail, and later released on $16,000 bond. She faces felony charges for burglary and battery on a law enforcement officer.
A court date has been scheduled on December 21 at 9 a.m., according to jail records.