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Bloomfield man arrested after scuffle with two officers

A Bloomfield man, upset because a DCS caseworker was trying to conduct a home visit, was arrested after he allegedly wouldn’t stop cursing and yelling then got into a scuffle with two officers.

Billy Joe Vester

Billie Joe Vester, 50, Bloomfield, was arrested by Lt. Marvin Holt of the Bloomfield Police Department on Tuesday evening, April 21. Vester was booked in to the Greene County Jail around 7:47 p.m. with bond set at $1,500 surety with ten percent cash allowed. He posted $150 and was released the same night.

Vester is scheduled to appear in court next Monday for an initial hearing. He’s facing preliminary charges of resisting law enforcement – knowingly or intentionally forcibly resisting, a Class A misdemeanor, and disorderly conduct – engaging in fighting or tumultuous conduct, a Class B misdemeanor.

According to Lt. Holt, a caseworker for DCS (Department of Child Services) contacted him because she had tried to conduct a home visit with the parents of a newborn but when she went to their residence, Vester allegedly cussed at her, told her to get off the property and continued to threaten her with bad language. She said he intimidated her to the point she could not do her job. Vester was a grandparent of the child.

Lt. Holt then went to the residence with the caseworker and Vester allegedly came out to the front yard and began to cuss and call the officer vulgar names. Vester was asked several times to go inside or to the back yard so the caseworker could speak with the parents. Lt. Holt said Vester did go to the back yard.

While Vester was in the back yard, he called the sheriff’s department to complain. After that conversation, a dispatcher called for additional backup to respond to the residence and BPD Deputy Marshal Wayman JR Blazier arrived.

Vester then came back to the front yard, continuing to curse, and Lt. Holt reported the incident led to several neighbors coming outside their residences to stand and watch.

In addition, several people had come out of Vester’s residence and were standing on the porch when the officers attempted to restrain Vester to allow the caseworker to complete her work. There was a struggle and the caseworker thought she was going to have to jump off the porch to avoid being knocked over. Vester ended up on the ground, was handcuffed and transported to jail.

Lt. Holt reported after he was in custody, no other incidents occurred and the caseworker was able to finish up her investigation.