Charges filed in fight between couple in front of neighbors, officer
Posted
David Slone-dslone@timesuniononline.com
A Warsaw couple were arrested for domestic battery after fighting with each other in front of neighbors and a Warsaw Police Department officer.
Melissa Ann Key, 35, of 2624 Wayside Court, Warsaw, was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail at 10:05 p.m. June 9 for domestic battery. Her preliminary bond was set at $1,000.
Jason Anthony Schaefer, 40, same address, was booked into KCJ at 10:14 p.m. June 9, also for domestic battery. His bond also was set for $1,000.
Court records filed June 14 state that at 9:29 p.m. June 9, Kosciusko County Central Dispatch advised an officer that a neighbor to Key and Schaefer had reported a man and woman were outside shoving each other and yelling.
When the officer arrived he saw the couple facing each other shouting. Key shoved Schaefer in his chin area in an angry manner. Schaefer, in return, shoved Key’s face with his hand away from her. The officer ordered the couple to stop and separate from one another.
The officer detected the strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emitting from Schaefer. The officer asked Key to move further away from Schaefer and she said nothing happened, they were just having an argument. Schaefer agreed with her and said the officer’s assistance was not needed.
The officer told Schaefer that due to a neighbor calling, the odor of an alcoholic beverage and the officer seeing them shoving each other, he would not be leaving. Schaefer said OK and that he was going inside the residence. The officer instructed him to stay outside, but Schaefer began to pull away, according to a police report. The officer placed Schaefer in handcuffs.
After identifying himself and his girlfriend, Key, Schaefer said they were having a little argument and their relationship was “complicated.” He said he had been with Key for years.
The officer informed Schaefer that he saw her shove him in his face area and he saw him do the same to her. The police report states that Schaefer acted as if it were normal behavior.
The officer told Schaefer that neighbors had seen them being physical with each other as well. Schaefer said he understood why he was in trouble and he did not want to continue talking.
Key also was placed in handcuffs, with separate officers taking Key and Schaefer to the county jail.
