MITCHELL — A Mitchell woman was arrested early on a Monday morning after allegedly fracturing a glass bottle over a man’s head, assaulting her partner in front of a responding officer, and threatening to burn down her home upon release from jail.
Lacey Y. Brandt, 32, was taken into custody on June 8, 2026, by the Lawrence County Police Department. Following an alcohol-fueled domestic disturbance, Brandt faces preliminary charges of:
- Domestic battery
- Battery with bodily injury
- Intimidation
- Disorderly conduct
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department Sergeant Whitney Daugherty, the incident began at approximately 12:02 a.m. when dispatch received a 911 call reporting a physical domestic fight at 2833 Earl Road in Mitchell. The caller stated that a man had been struck in the head with a thrown glass bottle and was actively bleeding.
Sgt. Daugherty and Officer C. Pruett arrived at the home to find Brandt standing outside on the exterior deck. Inside the living room, Sgt. Daugherty located the male victim lying on the floor with a towel over his head, bleeding from an injury that required medical attention. The victim’s brother was also present.
The male explained to the officer that he lives in a camper on the property and had entered the main house after hearing his brother and Brandt arguing. When the male victim told Brandt to “shut up,” Brandt, who was standing on an upstairs balcony, allegedly hurled a thick, antique glass bottle down at him, striking him in the head. The male’s brother, who was standing right next to him, confirmed the account.
While Sgt. Daugherty went to her patrol cruiser to retrieve her phone to photograph the crime scene, Brandt moved from the deck back into the house through a side door. The sergeant witnessed Brandt immediately strike the male’s brother.
Sgt. Daugherty rushed back toward the house, ordering Brandt to stop. Brandt refused the officer’s commands, continuing to scream at the male’s brother, pursuing him across the deck, and throwing a television stand box at him.
Sgt. Daugherty successfully intercepted Brandt on the deck, placing her in double-locked handcuffs. When the sergeant attempted to read Brandt her Miranda Rights, Brandt refused to cooperate, shouting over the officer. To help de-escalate the chaotic scene, Officer Pruett placed the belligerent Brandt into the back of a patrol car, where she continued to scream threats through the glass.
Inside the home, the victim’s brother assisted law enforcement by retrieving a trash can containing the shattered remnants of the antique bottle, which was photographed for evidence alongside the male victim’s injuries and the blood on the living room floor.
When asked if they wanted to file formal charges, both males declined. The male victim, who initially wanted to pursue the matter, changed his mind, stating he did not want to cause problems because he is allowed to live on the property. The male’s brother similarly declined to press charges for being struck.
However, because domestic violence laws allow the state to prosecute regardless of victim participation, officers returned to the patrol car to process Brandt. Officer Pruett issued a formal warning for disorderly conduct due to her non-stop yelling.
Instead of calming down, Brandt allegedly escalated her behavior, threatening to burn the house down, slash the tires on the vehicles, and kill both males the moment she was released from jail.
Sgt. Daugherty noted that Brandt exhibited clear signs of heavy alcohol consumption. Before leaving the scene, Brandt agreed to a portable breath test, which registered a breath alcohol concentration breath alcohol content of 0.205%, more than double Indiana’s legal driving limit.
Brandt was transported to IU Health Bedford Hospital for required medical clearance before booking. While at the hospital, a second breath test showed her alcohol levels had risen even further, registering 0.211%.
Due to her continued uncooperative behavior at the hospital, Officer Austin McKinley was dispatched to assist in monitoring the suspect. Once cleared by medical staff, Brandt was transported to the Lawrence County Jail, where she was remanded into custody.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the probable cause affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
