BEDFORD – A 17-year-old male was detained by Bedford Police Tuesday afternoon following a reported altercation near 17th and P Streets, and is now facing a charge of juvenile delinquency by battery.
The incident, which allegedly involved the teen choking and striking a female, is currently under investigation.
Bedford Police Dispatch received a call at approximately 3:11 p.m. on Tuesday, June 24, reporting a male choking a female in the area of 17th and P Streets. The caller described the male’s vehicle as a cobalt blue Charger and provided police with a license plate number. The female involved was wearing green shorts, a black swimsuit, and having curly brown hair.
Officer Michael Bell, the reporting officer, arrived on the scene and was flagged down by a female matching the description near 16th and Q Streets. The female provided a video-recorded voluntary statement, alleging that her ex-boyfriend, the 17-year-old male, had followed her in his vehicle to an alley near 17th and P Streets after she declined to get a ride with him.
According to her statement, an argument ensued, and the male allegedly grabbed her shirt, pushed her, and then struck her in the face with a closed fist. She stated they both fell to the ground, and he raised his arm as if to hit her again before friends yelled for him from his vehicle, and he then left the scene in a dark-colored Dodge Charger. She signed a battery affidavit, confirming she experienced pain from being struck. Photographs of her injuries were taken.
The male complainant also provided a video-recorded voluntary statement to Officer Ratcliff, corroborating parts of the female’s account. He stated that he heard the female yelling, saw the Charger follow her, and witnessed the 17-year-old driver exit the vehicle and argue with her. He reported seeing the female shove the male away before he allegedly struck her, causing her to fall to the ground. The caller stated the male “got on top of” her and was “possibly choking her” before the male teen looked up and saw him watching and left the scene.
Officers eventually located the 17-year-old at his father’s residence in the 2100 block of I Street. He was taken into custody and transported to the Bedford Police Department for processing. His father then arrived at the station.
After consulting with Lawrence County Probation Officer Remillard, the 17-year-old was released into the custody of his father, with a promise to appear in Lawrence County Juvenile Probation today, June 25, 2025, at 9:00 a.m.
The 17-year-old also provided a video-recorded voluntary statement, claiming the female had called him repeatedly for a ride, which he refused. He stated that he later located her in an alley, where they exchanged words, and she approached his vehicle, opening the passenger-side door. He alleged she put her hands on his face while screaming, leading him to grab her wrists. He stated she shoved him, he pushed her back, and when she attempted to strike him, he avoided it and “slapped her”. He claimed he was unsure how they both fell to the ground and that his arm landed near her face, at which point she bit his left wrist. He also stated he saw the male caller but left because his friends were yelling for him. The 17-year-old also indicated he wished to pursue battery charges and signed a battery affidavit.
The case remains under investigation by the Bedford Police Department.
