Staff Report

Justin R. Ousley

CLAYPOOL — A Claypool man was arrested for allegedly battering a woman and child.

Justin R. Ousley, 38, 929 W. 800S, Claypool, is charged with domestic battery to a person less than 14 years of age resulting in injury, a level 5 felony; domestic battery with a child under 16 present, domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury, and domestic battery with a prior conviction, all level 6 felonies; and domestic battery, a class A misdemeanor.

On Aug. 30, a Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Office deputy responded to a domestic complaint in Claypool. A woman said she was holding a child when she and Ousley had a verbal argument.

According to court documents, the argument escalated when Ousley abruptly slammed a door behind him. The door hit the woman and child. At one point, Ousley placed the woman in a wrist lock while she was still holding the child. Ousley then threw the woman and child into a garage.

The deputy noticed a laceration above the woman’s right eye and that the child’s forehead was swollen. Two additional children were present during the altercation.

Ousley told the deputy the woman followed him after a verbal argument. When the woman pulled on a door, the door handle slipped off, causing the door to slam into the woman. The deputy inspected the door in question and saw the handle was still attached. Ousley said he fixed the door before the deputy arrived and that he was not involved in a physical altercation with the woman.

Ousley was previously convicted of battery in Kosciusko County in May.

Ousley has already been arrested and released on his own recognizance.