HARRODSBURG – A Bloomington man was arrested Wednesday for striking his grandfather in the face with a blunt object multiple times before setting his house on fire.
Justin L. Hollingsworth, 29, of Bloomington faces criminal charges of attempted murder, a Level 1 felony; aggravated battery, a Level 3 felony, and arson, a Level 4 felony.
According to court documents, Monroe County sheriff’s deputies were dispatched on Tuesday to the 8900 block of South Ketcham Road in Bloomington, where a residence was on fire. When Deputies arrived, they found a 72-year-old man lying in the front yard while his home burned.
Police said the man was badly injured, suffering from “severe facial trauma” and “swelling about the head.” Despite his injuries, police said the man was able to tell deputies that his grandson, Hollingsworth, had assaulted him with a blunt object inside the home. Hollingsworth then allegedly intentionally set the residence on fire with his grandfather still inside.
The victim was taken to a hospital to be treated for his injuries, where a Doctor told police the victim had suffered a brain bleed as well as multiple broken and/or shattered bones in his face from the attack. He ended up having to be flown from Bloomington to Indianapolis due to the extent of his injuries, according to police reports.
Police spoke to a fire investigator who confirmed to officers that the fire had been set intentionally. A red gas can was located just outside the back door of the residence and the odor of gasoline was detected inside the home.
Hollingsworth was booked into the Monroe County Jail on preliminary charges, and the Monroe County Prosecutor’s Office has filed a motion to revoke Hollingsworth’s bail.
