A 30-year-old Ocala man was arrested after he admitted to hitting a male victim inside the kitchen of a local residence.
On Wednesday, multiple Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to the local residence in reference to a domestic disturbance. Upon arrival, one of the deputies met with the male victim who stated that he had been struck from behind by Russell Wade Locke.
According to the victim, he was in the process of cooking dinner in the kitchen when Locke struck him in the head. He recalled being struck one more time and then Locke left the kitchen.
The deputy observed in the MCSO report that the victim had a large contusion on the left side of his head, another large contusion on his left cheekbone, and he was “profusely bleeding.”
A female witness told the deputy that she was near the kitchen prior to the incident, and she heard a loud noise. When she glanced into the kitchen, she stated that the victim was laying on the ground, and Locke kicked him in the face before exiting the residence through the back door.
A deputy with a K-9 partner began tracking the area surrounding the backyard of the residence. Locke was spotted by the deputy, and he was running eastbound. Several deputies made contact with Locke near a residence to the northwest of the incident location, and he was detained in handcuffs.
The deputies conducted a search of the area surrounding Locke. According to the MCSO report, the following items were found within 75 yards of his location:
- A white handwritten note.
- A fully loaded silver Smith & Wesson magazine with 9mm rounds (16).
- Loose 9mm rounds (25).
- A clear Ziploc bag containing 9mm rounds (13) and .22-gauge rounds (7).
- A white lighter.
- Several $1 bills.
- A small clear baggy containing a white crystal-like substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
Locke agreed to speak with the deputies and claimed that the victim was attempting to hurt the witness. He stated that he had approached the victim in the kitchen and “hit him to get him to stop.” When he yelled at the victim, he stated that the victim fell to the kitchen floor.
Locke claimed that he was running because “someone was chasing him.” He recalled being in possession of “a couple dollars and the note,” and he was unable to explain the other belongings that were found during a search of the area. He denied possession of the ammunition and methamphetamine.
The MCSO report indicated that earlier in the investigation, Locke had admitted to using methamphetamine, and he had stated that he had used the drug approximately an hour prior to the incident with the victim.
The deputy conducted a criminal history search of Locke and discovered that he has multiple prior felony convictions in Marion County.
Locke was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $17,000 bond. He is facing felony charges for battery (second or subsequent offense), possession of a controlled substance, and possession of a weapon or ammunition by a convicted felon.
A court date has been scheduled on Tuesday, May 31 at 9 a.m., according to jail records.