Crime & Public Safety
Ocala passenger arrested after alleged attempt to steer car into oncoming traffic
An Ocala resident was arrested after a passenger allegedly grabbed the steering wheel and tried to force their vehicle into oncoming traffic while being driven home from a hospital. The Marion County Sheriff’s Office responded to a reported domestic disturbance and took a written report from the driver, who said the argument and dangerous driving occurred during the ride back to a residence.
According to the arrest report, the sequence began earlier when the passenger, identified as a 38-year-old Ocala man, had been taken to a local hospital after becoming extremely intoxicated and complaining of back injury. The driver returned to the hospital to pick him up that evening; while en route they argued and, the driver told deputies, the passenger intentionally grabbed the wheel and attempted to jerk the vehicle into oncoming traffic three to four times.
The deputy who completed the report documented visible scratches and marks on the passenger consistent with the driver’s account that she struck him to get him to release the wheel. The driver also reported the passenger threatened to cause death them both; the report states the passenger later admitted, after Miranda warnings, to trying to cause death himself and the driver and acknowledged recent alcohol consumption.
Marion County deputies arrested the passenger and booked him into the Marion County Jail on a charge of aggravated assault with intent to commit a felony; jail records list a scheduled court appearance later in October and show he remained in custody without bond at the time of the report.
All individuals accused of a crime are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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All individuals mentioned in criminal allegations are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law.