Police arrested three people last weekend for domestic violence

Logansport police arrested three people on domestic violence and related charges in two separate incidents this past weekend. In addition, one arrest was made Monday for illegally carrying a handgun.

On or about September 13, Juana Matias Matias, 33, knowingly or intentionally touched the victim, a family or household member under the age of 14, in a rude, insolent, or angry manner resulting in bodily injury, according to court information. On or about the same date, Matias Matias knowingly placed the said victim, a dependent, in a situation that endangered the victim’s life or health.

Matias Matias was arrested and charged in Cass Circuit Court with Domestic Violence (Level 5 Felony) and Neglect of a Dependent (Level 6 Felony). An initial hearing is scheduled for October 3 at 1 p.m.

• According to an incident report taken on September 15, Officer Quinn McGovern and other officers from the Logansport Police Department were dispatched to a residence where a domestic disturbance had already occurred. Upon arrival, McGovern encountered 30-year-old Nicholas Austin sitting in his vehicle outside the residence.

Austin said he and the female victim were arguing and she broke a window of his car. He said he became physical, hitting her on the arms and shoulders and pushing her, but she did the same to him.

While McGovern was speaking with Austin, Patrol Officer LeeAnn Morales spoke with the female victim and noted injuries including a red mark and a large bruise on her left arm. When McGovern asked Austin if he had any injuries, he stated that he did not. McGovern also noted that he did not notice any bruises or red marks that would indicate he had been struck by the female victim.

The officer then took Austin to the Cass County Jail. After being escorted out of the home, McGovern came in to help the female victim with a domestic violence package. At that point, she stated, Austin dragged her out of bed and across the apartment, punched her, and then choked her so hard she couldn’t breathe, the incident report states.

Austin was charged in Cass Superior Court 1 with strangulation, intimidation and false imprisonment, all Level 6 felonies. He was also charged with domestic violence, a Class A misdemeanor, according to court records.

An initial hearing was held on the morning of September 18, with a pretrial conference scheduled for 9 a.m. on November 4. The final pretrial hearing will be held at 9 a.m. on December 5, and a jury trial will be held at 9 a.m. on January 7.

• Logansport police arrested Harrell Dawson, 31, on Sept. 15 on charges of domestic violence involving a child, strangulation and hit-and-run, police reports show.

On or about Sept. 15, court documents say, Dawson knowingly touched a female victim, a family member or household member, in a rough, angry or indecent manner while knowingly in the presence of a child under the age of 16. He also knowingly applied pressure to the neck or throat of the same female victim that impaired her breathing or circulation.

On the same day, Dawson also knowingly touched a second female victim in a manner that caused bodily harm. In addition, as the driver of a vehicle involved in an accident involving a male victim, Dawson knowingly failed to stop the vehicle immediately at the scene of the accident or as close to it as possible, court documents state.

Cass Superior Court 1 charged Dawson with domestic violence and strangulation, both Level 6 felonies, as well as assault causing bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor, and leaving the scene of an accident, a Class B misdemeanor. An initial hearing was held on September 18.

A status conference is scheduled for September 26 at 9:00 a.m., while a pretrial conference is scheduled for November 4 at 9:00 a.m. A final pretrial conference is scheduled for December 5 at 9:00 a.m., and a jury trial is scheduled for January 7 at 9:00 a.m.

• On Sept. 16, Logansport police arrested Jordan Etherington, 30, of Kokomo, on charges of illegal carrying of a handgun, intimidation and pointing a firearm, police reports show.

According to court information, on or about September 16, Etherington knowingly or intentionally carried a handgun despite being convicted of a federal or state crime. On or about the same date, Etherington threatened to commit a violent crime. According to court information, Etherington also knowingly or intentionally pointed an unloaded weapon at the victim.

Cass Superior Court 2 charged Etherington with one count of unlawful carrying of a handgun, a Level 5 felony, one count of intimidation, a Level 6 felony, and possession of a firearm, a Class A misdemeanor. Because he was convicted of carrying a handgun without a permit in Monroe County Circuit Court 5 on June 27, the first count was upgraded to a Level 5 felony, according to a filed notice of intent.

A first hearing is scheduled for September 23 at 8:00 a.m.