Staff Report

Johnathan David Hettinger

PIERCETON — A Pierceton man was recently arrested in two domestic battery cases which allegedly occurred in the span of two months.

In the first case, Johnathan David Hettinger, 24, 8280 E. US 30 6, Pierceton, is charged with domestic battery with a child under 16 present, a level 6 felony; and domestic battery, a class A misdemeanor. He is also charged with burglary, a level 3 felony; domestic battery with a child under 16 present, residential entry, and battery, all level 6 felonies; domestic battery, a class A misdemeanor; and criminal mischief, a class B misdemeanor.

On July 12, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s deputy went to a location in Pierceton regarding a domestic situation. The deputy had responded to an incident at that location in the past.

Upon arrival, the deputy met with a woman who said she and Hettinger were arguing when he hit her in the face. The woman said she took Hettinger’s phone and started talking with someone on it when he became angry and started yelling at her.

According to court documents, Hettinger allegedly pushed the woman and hit her in the face with an open hand. The deputy noticed redness on the woman’s face. The woman said two children were at the location during the incident.

On Aug. 17, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s deputy went to a home to speak with the woman who was battered in the July 12 incident. The woman said Hettinger kicked in the residence’s back door and entered a bedroom, where he allegedly battered the woman’s boyfriend.

The woman told the deputy Hettinger punched her boyfriend in the face several times with a closed fist, and also kicked and kneed him. She said Hettinger also hit her in the back of the head with a bottle that was half-full.

The deputy noticed the woman’s boyfriend had a black eye that was badly swollen, several red, swollen abrasions on both sides of his ribs and arms, and a front right tooth that was chipped. The boyfriend confirmed Hettinger broke into the home and battered him.

The woman said she told Hettinger he was not welcome at the home and did not have permission to be there. The deputy inspected the residence’s back door and noticed signs of forced entry, including a footprint embedded on the outside of the door. Two children were in the home during this incident.

At the time of these incidents, Hettinger was on pretrial release for domestic battery and invasion of privacy cases.

Hettinger was booked in the Kosciusko County Jail on Sept. 11, with a $32,000 surety and cash bond.