A 40-year-old Ocala woman was arrested this past weekend after deputies say she pointed a loaded handgun at another woman and set a 15-minute timer during an argument about a new boyfriend.
On Sunday, July 19, a Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a local residence in reference to a 911 call from a neighbor. The caller reported that the female victim had fled from her home in tears, claiming that the suspect, Christine Renee Blanchard, threatened her with a firearm and bit her during a physical altercation, according to the arrest report.
The incident reportedly began as a verbal argument over Blanchard’s new boyfriend. The victim told deputies that during the dispute, she grabbed Blanchard’s medication and dumped it into a fish tank.
In response, Blanchard allegedly went into a spare bedroom, retrieved a loaded handgun with a silver slide, and chambered a round.
The victim alleged that Blanchard pointed the handgun at her and stated, “You’ve got fifteen minutes to fix this.” Blanchard then sat on a nearby couch and started a timer on her cellphone, according to the report.
When the victim claimed she was recording the encounter for her protection, Blanchard allegedly grabbed the victim’s cellphone and smashed it on a coffee table. The victim reportedly retaliated by breaking Blanchard’s phone, which prompted Blanchard to bite the victim’s right wrist.
The deputy noted in the report that the victim had a wrist injury that “appeared to be consistent with her allegation of having been bitten by [Blanchard].”
Before the victim fled to the neighbor’s house, Blanchard allegedly told her, “If I kill you, I will get away with it because of my [post-traumatic stress disorder].”
Deputies spent approximately two hours attempting to contact Blanchard inside the home before she exited the residence and was detained for questioning. During an interview, Blanchard initially claimed she had been sleeping and was unaware of the law enforcement presence outside.
However, Blanchard reportedly proceeded to change her statement, alleging that the victim had battered her and slammed her head into the ground. The report mentioned that Blanchard did not appear to have any injuries that supported her claim.
During an interior search of the home, investigators located a total of eight firearms, including one matching the description of the silver handgun provided by the victim, according to the report.
Blanchard was placed under arrest and transported to HCA West Marion Hospital, where she was medically cleared. She was then booked into Marion County Jail, where she remains in custody without bond.
Jail records show that Blanchard is being charged with one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill. A court date has not yet been scheduled.