A Brown County man was arrested Nov. 16 after police say he raised an ax at another man, battered him and knocked the phone out of his hand while he was calling 911.
Dispatch received a 911 call from a home in the 200 block of Gatesville Road, but could only hear someone asking for help and what they believed to be a fight, according to a probable cause affidavit by Sgt. Bill Southerland with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department. Then, the call was interrupted.
Indiana Conservation Officer Joseph Tenbarge separated the two men involved in the fight. When Southerland arrived, Tenbarge was outside talking with Mark Moore, 57, of Gatesville Road, who had a cellphone in his hand. The phone and Moore’s hands reportedly had blood on them, the report said.
Moore was agitated, speaking loudly and constantly moving his hands and arms around, Southerland reported. He kept repeating that he wanted “him” out of his home.
In the home, police found a man who uses a cane to walk. He told police he woke up to Moore yelling at him. He said Moore entered the room he was sleeping, carrying a double-bladed ax, and had it raised as he walked toward him, the affidavit states.
Police found and photographed the ax near the near the door.
The victim said he and Moore began to struggle in the living room. He said Moore grabbed him by his hair and pulled him to the floor where he hit and kicked him. Southerland reported seeing two clumps of hair that looked like the victim’s hair on the floor, the report said.
The victim had a large bump on the back of his head. He said he called 911, but Moore knocked his phone out of his hands before taking it and leaving the room.
The victim said he had lived with Moore for about two years. Moore told police that he wanted the victim out of the house and that he was not picking up after himself. He said the victim was squatting there. He admitted to Southerland that he was holding the victim’s cellphone after taking it from him.
He was placed under arrest. Police reported finding a glass smoking pipe wrapped in a paper towel in Moore’s pants pocket. The pipe had a white powdery residue inside, the report said.
On Nov. 19, Moore was charged with battery by means of a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony; interference with the reporting of a crime, a Class A misdemeanor; and possession of paraphernalia, a Class C misdemeanor.
