BEDFORD — A local man is facing charges of battery and intimidation after a domestic disturbance turned violent on Friday morning.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Officer Steven Hatton Jr. of the Bedford Police Department, officers were dispatched to a residence in the 400 block of 18th Street on February 6, 2026, after receiving reports that a woman had been battered.
The female victim told officers that Dustin E. Pemberton, 31, became enraged after losing his phone. According to the report, Pemberton flipped the bed while the female and her dog were still on it. He then allegedly struck the female in the nose with his palm and headbutted her multiple times. The victim said Pemberton wielded a large breaker bar, threatening to “bust her head.”
The victim advised that before Dustin left, he took his knife, stabbed it into a picture of her that was hanging on the wall, and stated that he would do this to her.”
The victim sought refuge in a neighbor’s apartment until law enforcement arrived.
The following day, February 7, officers returned to the residence after learning Pemberton had returned. Upon arrival, police found the apartment’s rear door barricaded with furniture. After forcing entry, officers located Pemberton hiding behind the door.
While being taken into custody, Pemberton reportedly admitted to throwing items and striking a wall near the victim but denied hitting her directly.
Pemberton was transported to the Lawrence County Jail and faces the following preliminary charges of battery and intimidation.
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.
