By Leah Sander
InkFreeNews

WARSAW — A Michigan man has been sentenced in a domestic battery case.

Damon Tyrone Goins, 48, 985 Woods Edge Drive, B, Niles, Mich., was sentenced to five years total for domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury, a Level 5 felony, and resisting law enforcement, a Class A misdemeanor, on Monday, Oct. 24, in Kosciusko Superior Court 1.

Damon Goins

On July 6, 2020, a Pierceton police officer responded to a report of a fight. The officer met with the caller who said Goins was choking a woman and had thrown something at her.

The officer talked with the suspect and the victim who was shaking and crying. The woman said Goins had battered her, choking and hitting her. She said she feared for her life.

The officer spoke with Goins, who said he didn’t want to go back to jail. Goins said he hit the woman with a cellphone during an argument.

The officer handcuffed Goins, who then fled on foot.

Officers spoke with the woman before she was taken to the hospital. She said she and Goins had a verbal argument. He then started hitting her with an open hand.

He took her phone and threw it at her, hitting her elbow. The woman said Goins choked her, causing her to lose consciousness.

At the sentencing Monday, Deputy Prosecutor Joe Sobek mentioned Goins’ problems with substance abuse, saying the victim in the case had said Goins acts differently when he’s using substances. Sobek said he hoped that Goins was done with substance abuse.

Defense Attorney Travis Neff said that Goins had completed a domestic violence course. He asked that Goins be allowed to serve time on home detention and that the no-contact order between Goins and the woman be lifted as she wants to give him a second chance.

“I do have a lengthy criminal history and I’m not proud of it,” said Goins.

Kosciusko Superior Court 1 Judge Karin McGrath sentenced Goins to four years at the Kosciusko County Jail for domestic battery, with one and a half years executed and two and a half suspended on probation. For resisting law enforcement, McGrath sentenced Goins to one year at the jail. Those charges are to run concurrently.

She denied his request for home detention.

“You’ve earned an even greater sentence with your criminal history,” said McGrath. “I hope this is the end of the road with you (regarding criminal activity).”

She agreed to vacate the no-contact order, but mentioned the victim could apply for one through civil means. Goins cannot possess a firearm due to the case.

McGrath also gave Goins 177 days of jail credit.