BEDFORD — A local man is facing felony charges after a female reported a physical assault at their residence on M Street, leading to an investigation by the Bedford Police Department this past weekend.
Brian A. Waggoner, 46, was taken into custody on Saturday afternoon, March 14, and charged with domestic battery with a prior conviction.
The investigation began at approximately 12:04 p.m. on Saturday when Officer Zakry E. Brooking was dispatched to IU Health Bedford. A female patient requested to speak with law enforcement regarding an assault she claimed occurred the previous night.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the female told officers that while she was lying in bed, Waggoner got on top of her and placed his hands around her throat. She reported that while his hands were around her neck, he began yelling about his own “anger issues.”
While the victim stated she did not lose consciousness and was able to breathe during the encounter, she told police she was in fear for her safety. Officer Brooking noted visible redness on the victim’s neck, which was documented and photographed for evidence.
When asked why the incident was not reported immediately on Friday night, the victim explained a restrictive environment at the home. She stated that Waggoner requires her to turn off her phone at night and leave it in the living room, preventing her from calling for help.
Bedford Police officers located Brian Waggoner at the couple’s residence in the 2000 block of M Street later that day. During questioning, Waggoner denied that any physical altercation took place and claimed he did not touch the woman.
Despite his denials, Waggoner was arrested without incident and transported to the Lawrence County Jail.
The victim also reported a separate incident of sexual assault occurring approximately two weeks prior. While an exact date was not provided for that allegation, Bedford Police confirmed that a separate case number has been generated and the matter has been referred to the Detective Division for further investigation.
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.
