Brought to you by WBIW News and Network Indiana
Last updated on Thursday, July 26, 2012
(BROAD RIPPLE) - A man was arrested shortly after his girlfriend was pulled from the White River in Broad Ripple on Tuesday night.
Indianapolis police Jessica Adkins, 24, was pulled from the river about 30 to 40 minutes after she went under. She was taken to Methodist Hospital, where she later died.
Adkins' boyfriend, James Peterson, 25, of Indianapolis, was arrested on charges of battery, resisting law enforcement, interfering with a firefighter and battery by bodily waste.
Police said Peterson became combative at the scene behind a McDonald's in the 1000 block of Broad Ripple Avenue.
Investigators said Peterson lacked a sense of urgency when telling them about his girlfriend's disappearance in the river and that his behavior worsened.
"Peterson, who was already verbally abusive and uncooperative to police and EMS on scene, became physically violent once the body was pulled from the river," officers said in a police report.
Peterson attacked the gurney that was there to transport Adkins to the hospital, police said. He then struck an officer and spat in the face of another officer, according to a police report.
A McDonald's employee told police that Peterson had said he had been skinny-dipping with Adkins and that they were going toward shore when he looked back and saw her struggling to swim.
Peterson then told the worker that he had tried to save her but got scared when she began to pull him under.
However, police said Peterson's hair and shorts were dry about 10 minutes after he had been in the water.
1340 AM WBIW welcomes comments and suggestions by calling 812.277.1340 during normal business hours or by email at comments@wbiw.com
© Ad-Venture Media, Inc. All Rights Reserved.