Brian Redden

WARSAW — A Winona Lake man accused of battering a woman while her children were present was sentenced yesterday, Jan. 11, in Kosciusko Superior Court I with Judge David Cates presiding.

Brian Redden, 3104 Sandra Lane, Winona Lake was sentenced on a charge of domestic battery with a child under 16 present, a level 6 felony. Per the plea agreement, charges of strangulation and intimidation were dropped.

On Sept. 30, 2016, an officer with the Winona Lake Police Department responded to a domestic battery call. The female victim advised that she had gotten into an argument with Redden. Redden told the victim to get out and she replied she couldn’t leave immediately.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Redden pushed her down, got on top of her and started choking her. Redden eventually stopped choking her and she called a friend to help her move her stuff out in order to leave. At this point, Redden returned to the room and started choking her again.

Three children were present at the time of the strangulation and the victim could hear one child crying during the incident.

Redden came to sentencing having already completed an anger management course, an act the court commended him on.

Redden stated that he felt “justified” at the time of the incident, stating that the woman struck him first. He stated that since seeking counseling, Redden now sees how he could have handled the situation differently.

Judge Cates prompted Redden to explain further how he would have dealt with the incident differently. Redden stated that, first and foremost, he could have just left.

Seemingly content with Redden’s response, Cates proceeded. Redden was sentenced to two year at the Kosciusko County Jail with 1 1/2 years suspended.

Kosciusko Community Corrections has denied Redden due to the nature of the offense, but Cates stated he had no objection to Redden serving the six month executed sentence with Michiana Community Corrections.