MITCHELL— A late-night domestic dispute in Mitchell ended in a felony arrest Tuesday, February 24, after a man allegedly struck his girlfriend multiple times in front of her son.
James Crawford, 43, was arrested by the Mitchell Police Department following an incident at a residence on East Grissom Avenue. He faces a preliminary charge of domestic battery in the presence of a child, a Level 6 felony.
The investigation began at approximately 10:30 p.m. when Officer Gavin Bissonnette was dispatched to investigate a 911 hang-up. While en route, dispatch informed the officer that the caller had phoned back to report that her boyfriend, Crawford, had hit her multiple times and fled the scene.
Officer Bissonnette encountered Crawford walking near 3rd Street and East Grissom Avenue. According to the probable cause affidavit, Crawford stopped in the middle of the road and raised his hands in the air as the patrol car approached. He was immediately detained.
While Crawford claimed he was simply trying to leave the house because his girlfriend would not let him go, statements from the victims told a different story.
The female told investigators that Crawford returned home from his mother’s house agitated. After he began throwing items around the bedroom, a male friend who was visiting left the residence. The female stated she held the door open and asked Crawford to leave; however, as he walked past her, he allegedly slapped her three to four times on the right side of her face.
The incident was reportedly witnessed by the female’s son. The boy told police he heard the commotion from the other room and witnessed the physical assault when he went to check on his mother. He was the one who placed the 911 call.
Rooker signed an official order barring Crawford from returning to the property.
Police took photos of the female’s injuries and collected a signed domestic battery affidavit.
Due to the presence of a minor during the alleged violence, Mitchell Police filed a formal report with the Department of Child Services.
Crawford was transported to the Lawrence County Jail. In Indiana, domestic battery is typically a misdemeanor, but it is elevated to a Level 6 felony when committed in the physical presence of a child less than 16 years of age.
If you are in an unsafe situation, help is available 24/7. You can contact the Mitchell Police Department or the Indiana Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 to find local resources and assistance with protection orders.
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.
