A 39-year-old Ocala man was arrested after a woman accused him of punching and choking her during an argument that became physical.
On Tuesday, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a local residence in reference to a domestic battery incident. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with the female victim who advised that she had gotten into a physical altercation with Matthew Lucas Sellers.
According to the victim, Sellers came home at around midnight and was acting “belligerent.” She advised that an argument ensued and Sellers “charged at her.”
The victim told the deputy that Sellers punched her on the left side of her face and then placed his hand around her neck. During the incident, the victim claimed that she was unable to breathe, according to the MCSO report.
After Sellers let go of her neck, the victim stated that Sellers shoved her to the ground, and he spat a red gummy bear onto her face and chest. She advised that she was eventually able to get away from Sellers, and she proceeded to run to a neighbor’s home where she contacted law enforcement.
In the MCSO report, the deputy noted that there was redness on the victim’s left cheek where she was allegedly struck by Sellers. The deputy observed markings on the left and ride side of the victim’s neck, which were “synonymous with strangulation,” and she also had a sticky red substance on her chest that resembled dried candy.
Several deputies attempted to make contact with Sellers at the locked front door of the residence. When he failed to respond to the deputies, they proceeded to the back door of the residence, which was unlocked.
The MCSO report stated that a deputy and K-9 partner entered the residence and located Sellers in a bathroom. The door was closed, and Sellers resisted from the other side when the deputy attempted to open it.
The deputy’s K-9 partner was eventually able to enter the bathroom through a small gap in the door, and the K-9 engaged with Seller’s left forearm. Sellers was detained, and a small glass pipe was discovered underneath him which field-tested positive for methamphetamine.
Sellers was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held without bond. He is facing a felony charge for committing domestic battery by strangulation, along with misdemeanor charges for resisting an officer without violence and possession of drug paraphernalia.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.