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Bedford Man Arrested for Assault and Rape

Last updated on Friday, July 3, 2015

Man arrested this morning after Bedford police say he raped and battered a woman.

Police received a call around 3am in regards to a fight in the 800 block of J Street. The incident began when Zackary Harden came back from a friend's and made sexual advances towards the woman. After pushing the man away the woman then went outside with a female friend to smoke a cigarette. They entered the house believing Mr. Harden had gone home.. Then they heard the sound of glass breaking,
Harden had broken one of the windows to the home, and started to take off his clothes Officer Parsley reported. The victim told him to leave, He then grabbed her, threw her to the ground, struck her with a closed fist and bit her. She blacked out during the assault and awoke to three men over her and Zachary running away from the scene. The woman suffered bruises and swelling to the left side of her head, bite marks on her neck and left arm, and abrasions on the back of her right thigh. A Seals ambulance brought the victim to Indiana University Health Bedford Hospital. Harden was later found at I Street and Summit Lane. He was intoxicated, and he had visible injuries to his face and head.
Harden was taken to IU Health Bedford Hospital by a Seals ambulance, and was treated for his injuries before being booked into the Lawrence County jail. This is at least the second time Harden has been arrested this year. In January he was booked into jail on a charge of battery after a woman reported he came to her home and struck her in the face. According to court records, he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of battery resulting in bodily injury and was sentenced to 365 days in jail, with credit for 58 days and 249 days on unsupervised probation. Harden remained in jail this morning and is facing charges of rape, battery in the presence of a minor younger than 16, criminal mischief and public intoxication. His bond was set at $50,000 surety or $5,005 cash.

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