KOSCIUSKO — A Pierceton man was recently arrested after breaking into an apartment and damaging a vehicle in an attempt to get his ex-wife back. The apartment he broke into was not his ex-wife’s.

Travis Corey Brainard

Travis Corey Brainard, 36, 852 S. SR 13, Pierceton, is being charged with residential entry, a level 6 felony, and two counts of criminal mischief, class B misdemeanors.

On March 17, an officer with the Warsaw Police Department responded to a reported burglary in progress at an apartment building. The caller advised that a male subject had broken a window, kicked in a door to an apartment and busted the windows of a vehicle at that location. A description of the subject was given to officers.

According to the affidavit of probable cause filed April 8, the officer arrived and observed a male matching the given description. The male was identified as Brainard. Brainard told the officer that he just wanted his family back and that his ex-wife lives in the apartments.

The officer checked Apartment A and discovered the door frame splintered and an exterior window was broken. The officer also observed that headlights on a Chevrolet Silverado had been broken. The 911 caller had personally observed Brainard cause this damage.

The officer spoke with the ex-wife’s new partner who also lives in the apartment complex. The Silverado belongs to him and Brainard had assumed he lived in the targeted apartment. The ex-wife’s new partner was able to hear Brainard yelling and making noise outside the apartments.

The owner of the targeted apartment advised that he did not give Brainard permission to damage his property or enter his residence.

Brainard told the officer that he had been angry with his ex-wife’s new partner. He admitted to banging on the door and claimed that the door gave away. Brainard also admitted to breaking the headlights of the Silverado.

Brainard was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on March 18, with a $5,250 surety and cash bond.