BEDFORD— A Bedford man was arrested on charges of domestic battery and strangulation after a violent incident at his residence on November 20, 2024.
Phillip W. Deckard, 40, was taken into custody following a 911 call from the mother of his girlfriend, which prompted a swift response from the Lawrence County Police Department.
At approximately 10:30 a.m., Lawrence County Dispatch received a call from a woman who reported that her daughter was being assaulted by her boyfriend. The woman informed dispatch that her daughter’s nose was injured during the altercation. However, the call was disconnected before further information could be gathered. Officers immediately responded to the location, including Officer Anthony G. Pope, Officer C. Callahan, and Officer C. James.
Upon arrival, Officer Pope took control of the scene and separated Deckard and the woman. He instructed Deckard to speak with Officer Callahan while he spoke to the victim and her mother.
As Officer Pope spoke with both women, he observed several visible injuries on the injured female. These included bruising on her right arm, blood on her lower lip, cuts inside her mouth, red irritation on her neck, and blood spots on either side of her nose. When asked about the incident, the injured woman initially denied any physical altercation. However, the wounded woman’s mother quickly intervened, insisting that her daughter was lying.
The injured woman finally admitted Deckard had injured her but didn’t want Deckard arrested.
Deckard denied all allegations of assault. Deckard declined to provide further details about the incident. Officer Pope placed Deckard under arrest on charges of domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor, and strangulation, a Level 6 felony.
Those facing criminal charges are considered innocent unless convicted through due legal proceedings. Accusations alone do not imply guilt; the judicial system will evaluate the presented evidence to reach a verdict.
