BEDFORD — A Bedford man was arrested Sept. 8 after police responded to a report of a possible domestic dispute involving a man and woman in a vehicle, according to a probable cause affidavit filed by the Bedford Police Department.
Ethan Michael Allen Reed, 21, of Bedford, was taken into custody and transported to the Lawrence County Jail following the investigation. According to the affidavit, Reed faces allegations of domestic battery with a prior conviction and domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury.
Sgt. Toby Gerkin wrote in the affidavit that officers were dispatched to the area of Magnolia Lane and S Street on September 8 for a welfare check after a caller reported hearing banging and screaming from a vehicle. The caller also reported that a woman inside the vehicle appeared to be covered in blood.
Upon arrival, officers located Reed and the female. Gerkin said he observed blood on the woman’s legs and hands.
According to the affidavit, Reed initially told police that he and the woman had slept in a car in a backyard the previous night. He reportedly said the woman had fallen and struck her face on a barn, causing her injuries. Reed initially denied that the two had been fighting, although he acknowledged they may have been talking loudly.
Officer Daugherty separated the woman from Reed and spoke with her, according to the affidavit. She eventually told police that she and Reed had been arguing and that Reed had punched her in the face more than once.
Police observed swelling on her face and bleeding from her nose and mouth, according to the affidavit. The female reportedly told officers that she and Reed were dating and had been staying together, including sleeping in a vehicle or at a friend’s residence.
Police requested an ambulance to evaluate the woman’s injuries and photographed them, according to the affidavit.
After being read his Miranda rights, Reed spoke with Officer Daugherty about the incident, according to the affidavit. Reed reportedly said the argument began over messages on TikTok and eventually became physical.
The affidavit states Reed told officers that both he and the female were hitting each other and admitted to punching her in the face twice. He also reportedly said he threw the woman’s phone at her, causing injuries to her face.
Reed was then transported to the Lawrence County Jail.
The affidavit also states that Reed has a prior, unrelated domestic battery conviction from 2024. It further indicates that he was on probation or parole stemming from a prior felony conviction.
The female was evaluated by IU Health Ambulance at the scene and signed a refusal of service, according to the affidavit. She contacted her mother, who arrived and told officers she would transport her daughter to an emergency room for further evaluation.
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.
