A 43-year-old Fort McCoy man was arrested after he allegedly placed a female victim in a chokehold and threatened to kill her.

On Tuesday, two Marion County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a local residence in reference to a domestic battery incident. At the residence, one of the deputies made contact with the female victim who stated that Nicholas James Ping had choked her shortly before the deputies arrived on scene.

The victim advised that Ping had become upset with her for reasons that she was unable to recall. According to the victim, Ping placed his forearm around her neck from behind and began to choke her.

The victim told the deputy that she believed Ping was going to kill her. She recalled him yelling at her while he was choking her, though she was unable to remember what he allegedly said during the incident.

Shortly before the victim called 9-1-1, she stated that she drove away from the residence in her van. Ping allegedly entered another vehicle that belonged to the victim, and she stated that Ping began to follow her. When she pulled into the parking lot of the local fire department, she stated that Ping stopped following her and drove away.

The victim advised that she returned to the incident location where she waited for law enforcement to arrive.

The deputy observed redness around the victim’s neck and small scratches that were around her lips. While the deputy was reviewing paperwork with the victim, she remembered that she had video cameras set up inside her home for security purposes.

The victim handed the deputy her cellphone which contained video footage of the incident. According to the MCSO report, the deputy watched this footage and observed Ping as he grabbed the victim from behind and placed her into a chokehold.

The MCSO report indicated that the victim began to scream, and the deputy overheard Ping yell at the victim to tell him where she was going or else “he would (expletive) kill her.” When Ping said this, the deputy saw him tense “extremely hard” around the victim’s neck, and the “extreme squeezing” also altered the victim’s scream.

Ping’s whereabouts were initially unknown, but he was later located, arrested, and transported to Marion County Jail where he is currently being held without bond. He is facing a felony charge for domestic battery by strangulation.

A court date has not been scheduled yet, according to jail records.

cmedina@starbanner.com

Adolf Alfred “Al” Kunz, who spent more than 40 years buying and promoting Florida citrus, died on Oct. 31 at his home in Fort McCoy. He was 86.

Born on June 3, 1933, in Marion County, Kunz grew up on a farm in Fort McCoy. His German immigrant parents established the farm on property his great-aunt bought during the local land boom of the early 1900s. He would call Fort McCoy home his entire life.

In addition to his time in the citrus industry, Kunz grew timber, raised cattle and was active in the 4H program and the annual Southeastern Youth Fair. His dedication to local agriculture earned him the 2013 induction into the Marion County Agriculture Hall of Fame.

Those who knew him remember a man who was free with his time and always had a good story to tell.

“He was committed to the industry, and he was successful. He was such a giving person. He always enjoyed meeting new people and always had a story to share with them. He’s one of those genuine people that you meet,” said David Holmes. director of the Marion County UF/IFAS Extension Service.

One story he enjoyed telling was the secret behind pink lemonade.

After serving in the U.S. Army, Kunz went to work at the Libby, McNeil & Libby juice plant in Marion County. When it introduced pink lemonade in the 1950s, it shook up the industry. But the secret was simply a splash of grape juice in regular lemonade.

“They kept the formula a secret for several years before others figured it out,” Kunz said in a 2013 profile.

But not all his stories were industry-related.

Holmes recalls a story Kunz told him about growing up in Fort McCoy in the 1940s. As it goes, he was playing “Cowboys and Indians” on horseback in the woods when he came upon a group of Native-Americans preparing for a gathering.

“He said it threw him for such a loop that he got out of there as fast as his horse would go,” Holmes said.

Kunz left Libby after 17 years and spent the next 24 as a citrus buyer and promoter for the Florida Farm Bureau. He retired in 1996 but never stopped working his timberland and his cattle.

Holmes even has one of Kunz’s trees on his property.

“He gave me a tree in a coffee can that he started from an acorn. I planted it in my yard. That was 15 years ago. That chestnut oak is probably 30 feet tall now,” he said.

Kunz was also a longtime board member of the Marion County Farm Bureau.

“He was a great man and was a tremendous asset for the agricultural community. He was involved in so many facets of agriculture. He will be sorely missed by a lot of people,” said Joe O’Farrell, president of the county farm bureau.

Kunz’s survivors include his wife, Joyce; a son, Karl; a daughter, Julie Kunz Ray; a sister, Lucy Ann Stegall; 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Allan.

A celebration of Kunz’s life is scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday at Central Christian Church, 3010 NE 14th St., Ocala. Visitation is set for 5-7 p.m. on Friday at Anthony United Methodist Church with burial after in the Fort McCoy Cemetery.

The family asks that instead of flowers, those who wish can make donations to Hospice of Marion County and the Anthony United Methodist Church.

Contact Carlos E. Medina at cmedina@starbanner.com or at 352-867-4157.

A 66-year-old Fort McCoy woman was arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office after she was accused of threatening to kill a man in several text messages that were sent to a neighbor.

On Saturday, August 12, an MCSO corporal responded to a local residence in reference to a reportee who had received concerning statements via text message from his neighbor, identified in the arrest report as Pamela Smith Dillon.

Upon arrival, the corporal made contact with the reportee who advised that he commonly checks on two of his neighbors who live together – Dillon and the male victim – because their age and physical well-being are “not so good,” according to the MCSO report.

Earlier in the morning, the reportee stated that he received a text message from Dillon that stated, “I’m gonna pick up a gun and (expletive) kill (the victim) if he’s not out of here soon!” The corporal noted in the MCSO report that the reportee then received additional text messages from Dillon stating that she was “serious,” “not kidding,” and that she was “gonna (expletive) kill him in his sleep.”

The MCSO report stated that Dillon also sent the following message to the reportee: “So you weren’t coming down here to talk because you couldn’t handle me acting crazy?” That message was followed by another text message stating, “Or I may not wait that long.”

The corporal responded to the residence belonging to Dillon and the victim, and the corporal made contact with Dillon. The MCSO report stated that Dillon confirmed her phone number, which matched the phone number that had sent the concerning text messages to the reportee.

The corporal then made contact with the victim who advised that Dillon had been “telling him for days” that she was “going to shoot him and kill him while he was asleep.” He told the corporal that he has a handgun that is kept nearby when he sleeps, and Dillon would “have to touch him” in order to obtain the firearm, according to the MCSO report.

Dillon was placed under arrest for making threatening comments about killing the victim. The corporal noted in the report that Dillon advised that she was “just talking to a friend,” which confirmed that she had sent the text messages to her neighbor.

Dillon was transported to Marion County Jail where she is currently being held without bond. She is facing a felony charge for sending written or electronic threats to kill.

A court date has been scheduled at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, September 12, according to jail records.

A 29-year-old Fort McCoy woman with several prior theft convictions was arrested by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office after a store accused her of stealing over $500 worth of lingerie.

On Sunday, November 20, an MCSO deputy responded to Wild Things Lingerie and Adult Novelty Store located at 5340 E Silver Springs Boulevard in reference to a theft. Upon arrival, the deputy made contact with an employee who advised that a woman with red hair and a black jacket had stolen multiple items from the store.

According to the employee, shortly after 5:05 p.m., the theft suspect had entered the store, picked up a basket, and began walking around the store. After selecting multiple items, the suspect walked into a corner behind a clothing rack for several minutes and emerged with an empty basket.

As the suspect walked out of the store, the employee advised that the suspect’s jacket was “zipped all the way closed.” After the suspect left the store, the employee stated that she approached the area where the suspect had been observed, and 10 empty hangers were found. The employee stated that she had walked through the store several times throughout the day and all the hangers were “full.”

The employee reviewed video surveillance and determined that 10 pieces of lingerie had been stolen, along with a pair of magnetic nipple clamps. The MCSO report indicated that the approximate value of the stolen items was $530.

The deputy reviewed the store’s surveillance footage and was able to identify the suspect as Kaylee Marie Wigglesworth. According to the MCSO report, the female suspect had tattoos that matched Wigglesworth’s previous booking photos.

A computer search of Wigglesworth revealed that she was previously convicted of petit theft in Marion County on May 2, 2018, and she had another conviction for the same offense on January 3, 2019.

On Sunday, November 27, the deputy located Wigglesworth near the 5200 block of E Silver Springs Boulevard. According to the MCSO report, Wigglesworth was walking down the road, and the deputy made contact with her and inquired about the theft.

Wigglesworth initially advised that she did not take anything from the store, but she later admitted to taking one piece of clothing, according to the MCSO report. She was carrying a backpack, which was searched by the deputy.

Inside the backpack, the deputy located four pairs of panties and bras, which matched the brands carried by Wild Things Lingerie and Adult Novelty Store. The deputy also located the stolen nipple clamps, according to the MCSO report.

After being read her Miranda rights, Wigglesworth claimed that she only took one item from the store, and that item was not currently in her possession. She also claimed that the items found inside her backpack were not stolen from the store.

Wigglesworth was arrested and transported to Marion County Jail. On the way to the jail, the deputy noted in the MCSO report that there was the sound of a “glass pipe striking the bare metal under the back seat.”

Once at the jail, the deputy searched the back of the patrol vehicle and found a syringe on the back seat. Several pieces of tin foil were stuffed between the seat cushions and a glass pipe was found underneath the back seat, which contained residue that later field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Wigglesworth denied that the paraphernalia belonged to her, according to the MCSO report.

The deputy noted in the report that Wigglesworth’s purse was searched at the jail, and a small baggie containing a gray powdery substance was located inside. This substance field-tested positive for the presence of heroin.

Wigglesworth is currently being held at Marion County Jail on $5,000 bond and she is facing felony charges for second degree petit theft (third or subsequent offense) and possession of a controlled substance without a prescription, along with a misdemeanor charge for possession of drug paraphernalia.

A court date has been scheduled on Tuesday, December 27 at 9 a.m., according to jail records.

It began with a few stray horses. If Tina Nichols saw a horse in need, she’d take them in. It didn’t matter if the horse was starving or blind – only if they needed care.

When she got up to six horses, Nichols had to find a way to generate enough funds for feed along with extra hands to help keep the horses fit. To do this, she offered trail rides to the local kids in her neighborhood. Seventeen years later, she made it into a business.

Nichols, the owner of Makin’ Tracks Trail Rides in Fort McCoy, Florida, has kept up with the demands of her business for years. It is a self-funded equine rescue, meaning the business is funded by any operations done on the property. On the business’ website, it says, “Our mission is to support rescues through guided trail rides” which allows their horses “to help support themselves.”

The 46-year-old now has 15 horses in her care. But this past Thanksgiving, the truck used to transport her horses for trail rides broke down.

“Our truck is like our life’s blood,” she said. “Without it, it’s hard to do anything.”

The truck needs a new engine, but Nichols said it will be cheaper to just replace the truck.

Before the truck broke down, customers would meet at the farm and follow the horse-filled trailer up to the Cross Florida Greenway Trails. Without the truck, the only rides Nichols can offer are through her neighborhood down the dirt roads.

“Some customers are still willing to ride out at a discounted rate,” she said. “But most customers are rescheduling or waiting until we’re able to get over to the trails.”

Nichols said the decrease in customer base has diminished the business’ income to around one-sixteenth of her average profits. Before expenses last year, Nichols said Makin’ Tracks Trail Rides made about $60,000. However, on average, she said it costs about $40,000 to $45,000 per year to feed the horses, which leaves about $19,000 left after expenses.

When the truck first broke down in November, Nichols rented a truck to keep up with the trail rides. However, the $750 weekly expense quickly added up on top of the normal $600 to $800 spent per week for the horses.

To try and raise some extra funds, Nichols created a GoFundMe page Jan. 14. The $475 raised as of Feb. 18 have covered the cost of two bales of hay, she said. Nichols said each bale she gets weighs about 1,000 pounds and lasts between five to seven days.

“I never wanted to be one of those places begging for donations all the time; I guess I was raised prouder than that,” she said. “The few times that I do start asking is because I’ve exhausted everything, and I don’t have another choice.”

Luckily, with March on the horizon, one of Makin’ Tracks Trail Rides unique rides could soon begin depending on the status of purchasing a new truck. On March 13, the business is scheduled to open up its river rides. Nichols said these river rides allow customers to swim with the horses.

“That’s the one thing that sets us apart,” she said. “There’s not really anybody else in the area that does this.”

The river rides allow Nichols to connect with other local business owners in the area. Captain Erika Ritter, the 64-year-old owner of A Cruising Down The River, said she has helped on some of Makin’ Tracks Trail Rides tours.

“They would go out to the edge of the river and have weddings or special occasion events,” Ritter said. “Not everybody wanted to ride a horse, so I would meet them with my boat and the rest of the group.”

The two have helped one another with business. When Ritter’s on her boat, she tells her customers about Makin’ Tracks Trail Rides, and Nichols likewise refers customers to Ritter to learn more about the history of the Ocklawaha River.

Ritter said Nichols’ business has brought a kind of recognition to the area that put Fort McCoy on the map.

“They’ve just brought an additional interest into our community,” she said.

Not only is Makin’ Tracks self-funded, but it’s a family business. Right now, the business is run by Nichols and her 17-year-old daughter Sadie Rhoads. Rhoads takes customers on trail rides while Nichols handles more of the business side of scheduling rides and responding to customers.

Rhoads said she was practically born into the business. She began riding on the trails at 12 and started taking people out on her own when she was 15 with her permit. Besides needing a 21-year-old to drive to the trails, Rhoads said she would handle the rides on her own.

“I would do what I had to do,” Rhoads said. “My mom said that when I was younger that my number one phrase was, ‘I got this.’”

It wasn’t always like that, though. Nichols used to lead customers on trail rides, but 11 years ago, she suffered from a horseback riding accident. The accident broke Nichols’ back and left her wheelchair-bound.

“I think the first time that we really asked for donations was when I first broke my back,” Nichols said.

Before she was in a wheelchair, Nichols said she would build barns and mow people’s fields to bring in extra money. She said because she is more limited in what she can do now, it’s harder for her when the business goes into financial distress.

The business means more than just horseback riding. For Nichols, she said Makin’ Tracks Trail Rides allowed her to be home with both her son, Cody Rhoads, 22, and Sadie.

“It’s had a great impact on our family,” Nichols said. “And my kids are very capable people. It’s made them strong.”

Makin’ Tracks Trail Rides give horses second chances through rehabilitation. Dolly, the horse Nichols was riding when she broke her back, still lives on the property.

“You have to figure out what [a horse] needs and provide all the care that it needs,” she said. “Whether it’s emotional support, physical support or just getting them healthier.”