Staff Report

Chad Allen Hochstetler

WARSAW — A Nappanee man was recently arrested after allegedly battering a woman twice in two months.

In the first case, Chad Allen Hochstetler, 39, 13985 N. CR 400W, Nappanee, is charged with intimidation with a deadly weapon, a level 5 felony; intimidation and domestic battery with a child under 16 present, both level 6 felonies; and domestic battery, a class A misdemeanor. He was also charged with domestic battery with a child under 16 present, a level 6 felony; and domestic battery, a class A misdemeanor, in a second case.

On July 5, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s deputy responded to a domestic complaint. Upon arrival at the scene, the deputy was met by Hochstetler.

According to court documents, Hochstetler said he and a woman had gotten into a fight. Hochstetler did not provide details about the incident, so the deputy spoke with the woman about what happened.

The woman said she was asleep when Hochstetler woke her up by yelling at her. He then allegedly hit her in the face and struck her on the head with a closed fist. During the incident, the woman was holding a child.

When she attempted to leave the location with the child, Hochstetler lunged at the woman and punched her in the back of the head. At one point, Hochstetler had an axe in his hand and threatened to kill the woman with it.

The deputy noticed the woman had a bruise on her cheek and felt a bump on the back of the woman’s head. An axe was found in the area.

Hochstetler said he didn’t threaten to kill the woman but that he had made threats like that in the past. He also denied a physical altercation taking place.

On Aug. 12, Kosciusko County Sheriff’s officers received a report from the woman about Hochstetler being intoxicated and acting erratically.

The woman told officers that she and Hochstetler were in a verbal argument when he allegedly pushed her down to the ground. He also hit her face with a closed fist and held her down.

Officers noticed some redness and slight swelling on the woman’s cheekbone, as well as bruising on her right forearm. A child was present when the battery occurred.