A 42-year-old Ocala man was arrested after he was accused of strangling a female victim and preventing her from contacting law enforcement.
On Monday, Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a local residence in reference to a domestic disturbance. Upon arrival, the deputies were unable to locate anyone in the area, and they contacted the man who had called 9-1-1, Brian Lee Thompson, by phone.
During the phone call with deputies, Thompson claimed that he had been arguing with a male friend when he “accidentally dialed 9-1-1.” Prior to the deputies arriving at the residence, the emergency dispatcher had advised MCSO that a man and woman could be heard arguing on the phone.
When asked if a woman was present during the argument, Thompson denied that anyone other than his male friend was there at the time of the 9-1-1 call.
After further investigation, an MCSO deputy made contact with the female victim who advised that she had been strangled by Thompson. During the argument, the victim stated that Thompson grabbed her neck with both hands, and she was unable to breathe until Thompson released his grip.
The victim then called 9-1-1, but she stated that Thompson snatched the phone and told the dispatcher that he had called by accident. He told the dispatcher that there was no emergency at the location, and he provided the wrong address to keep law enforcement away.
According to the victim, she attempted to leave the residence and Thompson followed her to a neighboring home. She knocked on the door to speak with her neighbor when Thompson allegedly grabbed her by the arm and pulled her away.
The victim stated that one of Thompson’s relatives arrived on scene, intervened on her behalf, and took her to a safe location where she later met with the deputy.
The deputy spoke with the neighbor who recalled turning on the porch light and seeing a man grabbing a female by her arm and pulling her off the patio. The MCSO report indicated that the victim’s left forearm was bruised, her neck was red, and there appeared to be petechiae around her ears which was consistent with strangulation.
Thompson was not at the incident location. According to the MCSO report, he was later located inside a barn with a M&P 9mm pistol nearby, and the firearm had a loaded magazine along with a round in the chamber.
During an interview with the deputy, Thompson denied any knowledge of the firearm. A criminal history search of Thompson revealed that he had multiple felony convictions in March 1999 (dealing in stolen property and forgery), August 1999 (two counts of burglary and grand theft), and January 2020 (domestic battery by strangulation, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and battery).
Thompson was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held on $23,000 bond. He is facing felony charges for domestic battery by strangulation, preventing communication to a law enforcement officer, and possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.
A court date has been scheduled on Tuesday, August 23 at 9 a.m., according to jail records.