Staff Report

Levi Samuel Crisler

WARSAW — A Syracuse man was recently arrested after choking a woman twice with a belt.

Levi Samuel Crisler, 27, 515 Inwood Circle, Syracuse, is charged with domestic battery with a deadly weapon, a level 5 felony; strangulation, domestic battery with a child under 16 present and domestic battery with a prior conviction enhancement, all level 6 felonies; and domestic battery and invasion of privacy, both class A misdemeanors.

On July 13, a Syracuse Police officer received a report of domestic violence. The officer spoke with a woman who said she had an altercation with Crisler prior to making the report. According to court documents, the woman described Crisler getting on top of her, putting a belt around her neck and pulling it, choking her so she couldn’t breathe.

The woman said she was able to get away from Crisler and sat on the couch with her children. Crisler then allegedly choked the woman a second time with the belt. Three children were present during the altercation. The woman also recounted an incident earlier in the day where Crisler choked her with his hands around her throat. The officer noticed several red marks around the woman’s neck and bruises on her body.

Crisler admitted that he had been in an argument with the woman but that he was the person who was actually choked. The officer noticed Crisler did not have any physical indications of being choked or injured.

The woman obtained a protective order against Crisler, that prevents him from threatening to commit or committing any acts of domestic violence against her. This order was served on Crisler on March 25.

Crisler was previously convicted of domestic battery, battery resulting in bodily injury and battery in three separate cases.

For this case, Crisler was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on July 13, with an $11,000 surety and cash bond.