A 44-year-old Ocala man was arrested on a felony battery charge a week after he allegedly woke a man up in the middle of the night and attacked him with brass knuckles.
On Sunday, August 18, at around 3:50 a.m., a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a residence on SE 50th Avenue Road in Belleview in reference to a battery incident. Upon arrival, the deputy was informed that a male victim had allegedly been attacked by Richard Thomas Basile, according to the arrest report.
The victim’s roommate told the deputy that Basile had arrived at the residence stating that he was “going to beat up the victim.” According to the roommate, Basile was upset because he thought the victim had stolen from him.
The deputy spoke with the victim, who advised that he was asleep in the home when Basile woke him up. He stated that he was then “coerced” by Basile to step outside the residence to talk, according to the report.
Once outside, the victim claimed that Basile began punching him in the face, and he ended up on the ground. The victim added that Basile was “hitting him all over his body” with brass knuckles, and the report stated that the alleged attack continued until the victim’s roommate stepped outside.
The roommate told the deputy that after he exited the home, Basile was observed entering a black pickup truck with two other individuals. The vehicle then drove away from the area, according to the report.
The deputy noted in the report that the victim had “obvious injuries” to his left eye and cheek. Blood was also visible on his left arm, and red marks were visible on his legs. The deputy further noted that the injuries to the victim’s head “appeared consistent with an impact weapon” such as brass knuckles.
The report stated that on the day of the incident, Basile’s whereabouts were unknown. A week later, on Sunday, August 25, Basile was located, placed under arrest, and transported to Marion County Jail.
Basile is currently being held at Marion County Jail on a $50,000 bond. He is being charged with aggravated battery causing bodily harm or disability.
A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.