Police: Intoxicated man battered woman
HAMBLEN TWP. — A 38-year-old Columbus man faces a Level 6 felony in Brown County after police responded to a physical domestic disturbance on Sweetwater Trail.
Jeremy Scott Vanantwerp was charged domestic battery, a Level 6 felony, on Dec. 2.
Just before 1 p.m. Dec. 1, police found Vanantwerp passed out in a pickup truck at a home. A woman was inside the home, according to a probable cause affidavit by Cpt. Mike Moore with the Brown County Sheriff’s Department.
Moore wrote that Vanantwerp appeared “heavily intoxicated” and had difficulty understanding directions. Eventually, he exited the vehicle after first trying to start it when asked to get out. Moore reported he had trouble with his balance.
Moore noted that Vanantwerp had injuries to his hands and fingers. He told police that the injuries were from loading his ATV on his trailer.
The victim told police that Vanantwerp had come to the home to get the ATV and then asked to take a shower before he left. He went into the bathroom with a fifth of vodka and was in there for around an hour, the affidavit states.
When he came out of the bathroom, Vanantwerp was reportedly intoxicated and angry. He began to break items in the home and became abusive, the report said.
The victim tried to calm Vanantwerp down and sent a child who was present into another room. Vanantwerp then put his hands on the victim and took her by the hair, pulling it from her forehead and biting her nose, according to the affidavit.
Moore noted that there was evidence of a struggle in the home and that items were damaged.
Vanantwerp told police he was unaware if he did anything physical to the woman. EMS personnel reported seeing the missing hair and marks on the victim’s nose, but did not know if the marks were from a bite or not, the affidavit states.
A portable breath test given to Vanantwerp before he was taken to the Brown County jail showed his blood alcohol level at 0.15. A third test administered at the jail had his blood alcohol level at 0.32, as it was suspected his levels were still on the rise. He was taken to the hospital for medical clearance before being booked into jail.
No license plate lights results in arrest of two
A traffic stop on Nov. 27 for not having a license plate light resulted in the arrest of two people on drug charges after an Indiana State Police K9 alerted to drugs in the vehicle.
ISP Trooper Matt Hatchett conducted the stop just after 7:30 p.m. near the Brown County State Park north gate. The vehicle had four people inside.
The occupants were asked to exit the vehicle and then K9 Axe conducted a free air sniff. Axe alerted to drugs in the vehicle, according to a probable cause affidavit.
Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Jacob Gibson reported finding a clear nylon pouch underneath a blanket that backseat passenger Bradley Sims, 30, of Nashville, was sitting on. Inside the pouch were syringes, a burnt metal spoon with a used cotton swab, and residue, the report said,
Upon further search, police reported finding two foil packets inside a black wallet in the center console of the vehicle. One of the packets had a substance inside that police suspected to be heroin, the affidavit states.
All of the occupants were placed in handcuffs. Initially, all denied any knowledge of the drugs and syringes.
The driver then told police that Sims and the other backseat passenger, Melanie Morris, 28, of Nashville, always had the nylon pouch with them, the affidavit states.
The driver said that the heroin belonged to her, but she and the front passenger only snorted it.
Both Sims and Morris denied anything in the vehicle belonging to them, but Morris did tell police she was a heroin user.
The driver, Sims and Morris were all taken to jail. After being interviewed by police, the driver was released from custody pending further investigation, the affidavit states.
Sims and Morris were booked into jail on preliminary charges of possession of a narcotic and unlawful possession of a syringe.
On Nov. 30, Sims was formally charged with unlawful possession of a syringe, a Level 6 felony. As of press time, charges had not been formally filed against Morris.
Woman charged with domestic battery misdemeanor
VAN BUREN TWP. — A 54-year-old Brown County woman has been charged with domestic battery after police say she struck a senior relative on Dec. 1.
Janean Holley was charged with a Class A misdemeanor on Dec. 2.
Police were called to a home on Valley Branch Road. They reported hearing a woman screaming when they got there and seeing an argument in progress.
Holley told police that the relative showed up uninvited, screaming at her, and that the relative had bent her hand backwards. She said she was trying to get away from her, a probable cause affidavit states.
A child in the home had called the relative to the house because she was scared. The relative said she could barely understand the child and thought something had happened to Holley.
When she arrived at the home, Holley reportedly hit her in the face, knocking her glasses off. She then grabbed Holley to prevent her from hitting her again and Holley tried to knee her in the groin area. Holley then screamed at her to leave, but the relative said she would not leave until she calmed down, according to the affidavit.
The victim had a small mark on the right side of her face under her eye and a bruise on her right hand. Two children in the home said that Holley had been acting “weird” and had scared them by turning music up loud while driving them around earlier.
Police on the scene reported smelling alcohol on Holley. She told Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy Nick Briles that she had a shot of cranberry vodka. She also told Deputy Kyle Minor she had taken a shot while at home.
Holley denied hitting the victim. She was arrested and taken to the Brown County jail. The children were allowed to go with the relative. The Department of Child Services was also contacted, the police report said.
