BEDFORD – A Bedford man was arrested after Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to a domestic dispute in July 2022.
A woman came to the Sheriff’s Department on July 12, 2022, at 5:09 p.m. wanting to report a battery. The woman told police, that approximately five to six weeks ago Jimmy Raley had struck her in the head with the butt of a pistol and had choked her.
She told police on that night she was folding laundry, and Raley had been taking a shower. The two began discussing the IRS and Raley got upset and struck her in the head and she fell to the ground. She recalled being hit several more times with the butt of the Smith & Wesson .45 that was in Raley’s hand.
She claimed that after he stopped hitting her he reached down and grabbed her by the throat and forced her to stand up making it difficult to breathe. She did say Raley never pointed the gun at her.
When asked why she didn’t report the incident sooner, she said she was scared.
She reported a second incident occurred about a week later outside of the home. She had finished making dinner and told Raley dinner was ready but he didn’t come so she went outside to tell him again but decided to sit in a chair and smoke a cigarette first. This made Raley mad and he ran up and pushed her backward. She attempted to get up but he grabbed her and dragged her about seven feet toward their home. He then grabbed her by the throat and squeezed and caused her to lose consciousness. She came too with their dog Brody attacking Raley.
Over the next following days, she told police she began packing belongings in secret. She soon left the residence and traveled to Alabama. Raley located her there and they both returned to Indiana but in separate vehicles. She stated she attempted to get pulled over several times in hopes of getting away from Raley. They were pulled over in Huntingburg, Indiana and Raley was arrested on a drug charge.
The woman is now currently living in a safe house.
The information was forwarded to the Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Office and a warrant was issued for Raley’s arrest on charges of domestic battery and strangulation.
