The Marion County Sheriff’s Office arrested a 57-year-old Ocala woman who was accused of breaking into a male friend’s home and punching him in the face and chest.
On Monday, an MCSO deputy responded to a residence located in the 5900 block of SW 57th Street in Ocala in reference to a burglary incident.
Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with the male victim who advised that his friend, Leslie Gay Young, had broken into his home while he was away. The victim further stated that Young returned to his home later in the day and struck him several times with a closed fist, according to the arrest report.
The victim advised that at approximately 1:20 p.m., a neighbor called him regarding an individual who was “banging on his front door and screaming.” The victim asked a friend to check on his residence, and the friend observed that the front door was unlocked and the paint around the door was damaged, according to the MCSO report.
The victim’s friend entered the residence and allegedly observed Young sitting on the couch as she watched television. According to the victim, Young told the victim’s friend that she “broke into the home” because she wanted to check on the victim since he was not answering the door. She eventually left the residence after the victim’s friend told her that she was not supposed to be there.
The victim told the deputy that he went to his friend’s home to talk about the incident. Young arrived at that residence and began screaming at the victim and his friend regarding her cellphone, which she claimed to have lost when she was inside the victim’s home, according to the MCSO report.
When the victim returned to his home, he contacted one of Young’s relatives to inform them of the incident. The victim told the deputy that at approximately 6:50 p.m., Young returned to his residence and began banging on the front door while screaming profanities.
According to the victim, he opened the front door and Young “charged” at him, pushing him against an interior wall. Young then allegedly struck his upper lip with a closed fist, and the victim advised that he was also punched in the chest several times. The victim advised that he picked up Young around the waist, carried her outside, and set her down on the ground.
The victim informed the deputy that he never gave Young permission to enter his home on her own.
In the MCSO report, the deputy noted that the victim’s upper lip was red and slightly swollen. The victim’s chest was also red and had several small cuts. At the incident location, the deputy observed that the front door’s frame had sustained approximately $600 worth of damage, which was consistent with someone forcing a locked door open.
Young’s vehicle was located, and she was detained in handcuffs following a traffic stop. After being read her Miranda rights, Young claimed that she broke into the victim’s home because she was worried that the victim had committed suicide. The deputy noted in the report that Young was unable to provide a reason as to why she had this concern.
When asked about the incident, Young initially claimed that she did not hit the victim. She later admitted to the deputy that a physical altercation had occurred inside the victim’s home and she “probably hit him first,” according to the MCSO report.
Young was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail where she is currently being held on $21,000 bond. She is facing a felony charge for burglary with assault or battery and a misdemeanor charge for criminal mischief with property damage of over $200 but less than $1,000.
A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 23, according to jail records.