BEDFORD – A Bedford man was arrested Wednesday after police served two arrest warrants on him from incidents that occured in May.
Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department deputies arrested 41-year-old Robert Phillips, on charges of arson, and criminal mischief and two counts of domestic battery, strangulation, criminal confinement, and intimidation
The first incident was reported on May 15th in the 60 block of Washboard Road.
When officers arrived, they found a 2002 Chevrolet Cavalier with the windshield completely broken.
“There was glass laying everywhere inside of the Chevy Cavalier and on the trunk. However, I did not locate the object that broke out the windshield,” the officer wrote in a probable cause affidavit.
The woman told police Phillips called her and asked if she would come home. She told him she would if Phillips would not be mean to her.
When she arrived and went inside the bedroom, the woman said she could see an “evil look on his face”.
Phillips then struck the woman in the face with the back of his hand and poured milk on her.
He then went outside and busted the windshield on her vehicle.
He then ran into the woods.
Police could not locate Phillips.
The information was forwarded to the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s office and a warrant was issued for Phillips’ arrest on a charge of domestic battery.
The second incident happened on May 29.
According to a probable cause affidavit, Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded again to the home in the 60 block of Washboard Road.
The female caller told police Phillips was breaking out the windows of her vehicle and pouring gas on it.
When police arrived the woman reported to police that Phillips and his brother had been in a verbal argument.
She said during the early morning hours of May 29 Phillips had thrown a full bottle of a drink at her and struck her in the upper thigh which officers said left a visible bruise. He then struck her in the back with a PVC pipe. She didn’t report the incident when it happened because she was hoping Phillips would calm down and go to sleep.
But later in the day, Phillips struck her with his fist in the face. Officers said the woman’s face was red and bruised. He then choked her and struck her with the butt end of a screwdriver in the face hitting her nose.
He then began damaging her vehicle. He poured battery acid on the hood, damaged the ignition and caused the emergency handbrake to be stuck immobilizing the vehicle.
He then attempted to pour gas on her vehicle to set it on fire, but realized she had called 911 and stopped.
Police searched the home for Phillips but he had once again fled.
The woman called the police again at 1:45 p.m. after Phillips returned back to the home and began to throw items at her vehicle.
Officers entered the home to find Phillips and were told by another resident that he was in the bathroom.
Officers checked the home and found that Phillips had again fled from the home.
The woman told police she was asleep in her vehicle when she was woken by Phillips tapping on the driver side window with a BB gun. At the time the woman didn’t realize it was a BB gun.
Phillips told the woman he was going to kill her and pointed the gun at her.
He then used a car battery to break the driver door window.
He then grabbed the metal blade of a garden hose and began hitting the vehicle.
He also attempted to set the vehicle on fire telling the woman “you are going to die in your car today”. He then went inside the home and the woman called the police.
Fearing for the woman’s safety, the officer asked her to contact someone to come and get her or they would give her a ride. They contacted Becky’s Place but there were no openings and there were no vouchers available for a motel room.
The woman was then given a ride to Johnny’s Junxion.
The information was forwarded to the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department and a warrant was issued for Phillips’ arrest on charges of domestic battery, strangulation, intimidation, and criminal confinement.
If you or someone you know is involved in a domestic violence situation and needs help, call Hoosier Hills PACT 24-hour crisis line at 1-888-883-1959 or visit their website at https://www.pactchangeslives.com/
The agency can provide emergency assistance with shelter to those in domestic violence situations. Hoosier Hills Pack also provides assistance with court advocacy, protective orders, education, outreach programs, support groups, and more.
