A 45-year-old Ocala man accused of attempting to run over a woman with a horse at a local rodeo is facing additional charges after he allegedly fled on foot from a traffic stop and resisted arrest.
On Sunday, July 5, Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a rodeo being held in a field located at 3861 SE 118th Lane in Belleview after receiving reports of a disturbance, according to the arrest report.
The female victim and several witnesses reportedly informed deputies that a man, identified as Antonio Castillo Ortega, was trying to flee the location in a white pickup truck pulling a red trailer with his horse.
According to the report, the victim and witnesses alleged that Ortega had tried to run the victim over with a horse during an altercation. The victim further stated that Ortega was “being belligerent,” adding that he allegedly “threw a beer at her.”
Ortega’s pickup truck was spotted nearby, and a deputy approached the vehicle to inform Ortega that he was being stopped. In response, Ortega allegedly said “(expletive) that” before driving a short distance.
The report stated that an ambulance was blocking the event’s only exit, which allegedly prompted Ortega to exit his vehicle and flee on foot into the nearby woods.
MCSO’s Air-1 unit later located Ortega getting into the back of a white sedan near the intersection of SE 118th Lane and SE 36th Avenue. When deputies surrounded the sedan and instructed him to exit the vehicle, he allegedly refused, pulled away from the deputies, and braced himself on the doorjamb.
Multiple deputies eventually managed to remove Ortega from the sedan, and he was detained in handcuffs. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Ortega allegedly admitted to fleeing and said that he was “scared of going to jail,” according to the report.
During the post-Miranda interview, Ortega reportedly denied attempting to run the victim over with the horse, claiming instead that he had tried to break up an altercation between the victim and another woman. He allegedly further stated that he had splashed beer on the victim because she had tried to spit on him.
Ortega was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail. During processing, a fingerprint scan revealed a “possible alias of Jorge Ortega Rubio,” and law enforcement was advised that he had previously been deported from the United States, according to the report.
Two days after his arrest, Ortega was released from the jail after posting bond. He is being charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, battery (touch or strike), and two counts of resisting an officer without violence.
On Tuesday, August 11, Ortega is scheduled to appear in a Marion County courtroom, according to jail records.