A 44-year-old Ocala man was arrested after allegedly punching his girlfriend and choking her with a shotgun barrel.
On Monday, December 27, Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to Arrowhead Campsites located at NW 38th Avenue in Ocala in reference to domestic battery.
Upon arrival, the deputies met with a female victim who stated that she had been visiting her relative, Richard Floyd Lusby, Jr. at his residence.
Lusby’s girlfriend was also inside the residence. According to the relative, she heard a physical altercation between Lusby and his girlfriend and ran to the bedroom.
According to the relative, she opened the bedroom door and saw Lusby on top of his girlfriend. He had a black pump action shotgun in his hands and the barrel was pressed against his girlfriend’s throat.
The relative stated that she tried to break up the altercation since it looked like Lusby was using the shotgun to strangle his girlfriend. Lusby allegedly turned around and slapped the relative across her mouth.
After the relative told Lusby to stop, he allegedly pointed the shotgun at the relative’s face and stated he was going to shoot her. She ran out of the bedroom and called law enforcement.
The MCSO report indicated that the relative’s lip was red and bleeding.
When the MCSO deputies arrived on scene, they gave verbal commands over a loudspeaker for Lusby to exit the residence. He ignored the commands, and an MCSO sergeant and four deputies forced open the front door.
Once the sergeant and deputies entered the residence, Lusby finally complied and walked outside.
Lusby’s girlfriend had difficulty recalling all of the details regarding what transpired, and she stated that she lost consciousness during the attack.
She told a deputy that Lusby had been drinking all day. He allegedly became upset when she looked outside a window and refused to tell him what she was looking at.
She recalled a basket full of items being thrown at her. When she flicked a cigarette in Lusby’s direction, he allegedly ran over to her, jumped on her, and held her down on the bed.
According to the MCSO report, all the girlfriend remembered after that point was being punched in the face with a closed left fist until she lost consciousness.
Lusby allegedly woke her up when he placed a finger down her throat. Her throat was sore and felt bruised, and she also recalled a shotgun being placed over her throat which made it difficult to breathe.
When the girlfriend woke up, Lusby allegedly pointed the shotgun close to her face and stated, “I’m going to (expletive) kill you.”
After the relative intervened and ran to call law enforcement, the girlfriend stated that Lusby left the bedroom and hid the shotgun.
The MCSO report indicated swelling and bruising on the right side of the girlfriend’s face and a red mark on her throat.
During an interview with a deputy, Lusby denied any physical altercation. He claimed that his girlfriend did not take her medication and fell onto her face following a seizure.
Lusby also denied any knowledge of a shotgun. Deputies searched the residence and were initially unable to locate the weapon.
After the deputies left the residence, the relative sent a text message to one of the deputies stating that the shotgun had been located.
The deputy returned to the residence and found the shotgun inside a bedroom wall. It was a black 12-gauge Remington 870 and was loaded with five shells.
According to the MCSO report, a criminal search revealed that Lusby was convicted of a felony in December of 2005 for distribution of cocaine, and he was also convicted of battery in September of 2021. Both convictions were in Marion County.
Lusby was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held without bond. He is facing felony charges for assault, domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, possession of firearm by a convicted felon, and battery.
A court date has been scheduled on Tuesday, February 1 at 9 a.m., according to jail records.