Zeth A. Begley

On June 22, a North Webster woman was taken to the North Webster EMS station for medical treatment. Just yesterday, the woman’s boyfriend was arrested and charged with battery resulting in serious injury.

The woman sought treatment for a large bump on her forehead, scratches on her neck, swelling and bruising to her right eye, a laceration on her right elbow, and scrapes to her shoulders and legs. She told the medics on station “everything was fuzzy” and she had lost consciousness.

When reported to North Webster Police, Officer Clayton Rieder knew the victim and her boyfriend and went to speak with the boyfriend, identified as Zeth Begley, 26. The officer located Begley, who admitted he and the victim had been in a physical altercation. Begley claimed the woman attacked him and held him down, causing him to sustain scratches to his chest, neck and arms.

Three days after the woman sought medical treatment, she was interviewed by Officer Rieder, who observed bruises on her face, shoulder, arms and legs. The woman said Begley grabbed her by the throat and pushed her against a door causing her to fall to the floor. At that time, Begley allegedly dragged her into the living room by her hair, punched her in the back of the head and began kicking her.

The victim said she attempted to run out of the house, but Begley slammed her arm in a door, ripped off her clothing and attempted to drag her outside. She claimed she was able to get away and locked herself in a bedroom, but Begley managed to get in and continued to beat her until she lost consciousness.

When the victim awoke, she told the officer she got dressed and went outside. That is when she was found by an individual who took her to the EMS station.

According to the probable cause affidavit, in addition to the visible bruising, the victim sustained a broken nose and a concussion.

Begley has been charged with two felonies and a misdemeanor as a result of the case. Count I is a Class C felony charge of Battery Causing Serious Bodily Injury. Count II is a Class D felony charge of Domestic Battery In The Presence of a Minor as the couple’s 7-month-old daughter was present during the attack. The final charge is a Class A misdemeanor count of Domestic Battery.

Begley was being held in the Kosciusko County Jail on a $5,000 surety bond.