BEDFORD – An Avon man was arrested in Bedford following a series of alleged domestic incidents on Saturday, July 19, 2025, that included claims of battery, strangulation, and violation of a protective order.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Officer Zakry E. Brooking of the Bedford Police Department, officers were dispatched to the CVS Pharmacy at 1206 16th Street around 1:51 a.m. after receiving a report of a physical domestic fight. There, they met a female who stated she had fled from her apartment on M Street, seeking help.
The woman, visibly distressed, reported that her boyfriend, Chase Padgett, had struck her in the right temple and choked her. Officers observed redness and scratches on her throat, and she was coughing periodically. She declined medical attention but confirmed she had an active protective order against Padgett. It was also verified that Padgett had been convicted of invasion of privacy on May 28, 2025, for a previous violation of the same protective order.
The woman recounted that the alleged abuse began earlier in the evening after they had been drinking. While driving back to Bedford, Padgett allegedly struck her in the right temple with his fist, causing her pain and to “see bright spots.” The affidavit states that at a Taco Bell stop, Padgett allegedly grabbed the woman’s throat and squeezed it, demanding she shut the car door or he would “kill her,” causing her to be unable to breathe. She stated she complied out of fear and had to beg him for food via the drive-thru, where she was crying and silently seeking help from employees.
Upon returning to her apartment, Padgett allegedly demanded and took the woman’s blue Samsung phone, preventing her from calling 911. The woman then reportedly snuck away from the car and apartment, flagged down a passing blue SUV, and was driven to CVS, where she used the driver’s phone to call the police.
Officers conducted multiple searches of the woman’s apartment and the surrounding area for Padgett, including discovering a rear sliding glass door that had been left wide open after an initial search. The woman later reported further sightings of Padgett on M Street and her back porch. Ultimately, at approximately 4:26 a.m., Sergeant Shelhart heard someone in the trees behind the woman’s apartment, leading Officer Manke to locate Padgett hiding behind a van on 24th Street.
Padgett was taken into custody without incident but refused to answer questions. Officers noted he had several scratches on his arms and legs, including a bleeding laceration on his left leg, which he claimed occurred while jumping a cemetery fence. After being medically cleared at IU Health Hospital for his injuries, Padgett was transported to the Lawrence County Jail for housing. The woman’s phone was not recovered.
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.
