Staff Report

Jesse T. Carandante

WARSAW — A Warsaw man was recently arrested after allegedly battering a pregnant woman and breaking her phone.

Jesse T. Carandante, 32, 1 EMS B37 Lane No. 4, Warsaw, is charged with domestic battery to a pregnant woman, a level 5 felony; and criminal mischief, a class A misdemeanor.

On March 2, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a domestic battery in progress at a residence. The reporting person said she could hear a physical fight occurring.

Upon arrival at the scene, the deputy saw Carandante standing outside of the home. According to court documents, when asked about the incident, Carandante said he had an argument with a woman but that it never turned physical.

The deputy asked Carandante if he remembered being trespassed from the woman’s home on Jan. 20. Carandante told the deputy he thought the trespass warning had been dropped.

The woman who was battered told the deputy she went to a neighbor’s home to call 911 because Carandante broke her phone during their argument. She said she and Carandante were arguing when he grabbed her and threw her to the ground. The deputy noticed the woman was visibly pregnant. The woman told medical personnel she was pregnant with twins. She underwent a medical evaluation at a local hospital.

The woman said Carandante came to her home while he was drunk and agitated; he started picking fights and destroying items. Carandante told the woman to call 911 while egging her on. While the woman was on the phone with one of her relatives, Carandante allegedly grabbed the woman, smashed her phone and broke it. He also threw the woman down on the ground during the altercation.

Carandante said he knew he should have left the woman’s home, but that he was drunk so he didn’t leave. When Carandante asked about his charges, he was told battery to a pregnant woman was a felony, to which he replied, “Nice.” He attempted to make jokes with the deputy while being advised of his Miranda rights.

The woman’s relative said she heard the argument while she was on the phone. She said she heard the woman tell Carandante to get off of her multiple times. Carandante later got on the phone, said “Call 911” and hung up on the relative.

Carandante was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on March 2, with an $11,000 surety and cash bond.