A Bloomfield man was arrested and has been charged with felony criminal confinement and three misdemeanors for allegedly getting into an argument with his daughter, preventing her from leaving, trying to take her phone away and hitting her with a closed fist.

James Francis Kingsley III, 47, Bloomfield, was arrested by Lt. Marvin Holt of the Bloomfield Police Department on Monday, September 6.

Around 11:25 pm. that Monday, Lt. Holt was contacted by a woman who said her daughter had been battered by her father, James Kingsley, at Kingsley’s residence in Bloomfield. Lt. Holt was on another call at the time so Deputy William C. Walker from the Greene County Sheriff’s Department was first to respond, followed by Lt. Holt.

When Lt. Holt talked to the alleged victim at the mother’s residence, she said she’d been at her father’s house when she left with her sister to hang out with friends. Her father wasn’t happy about it and when she went back to grab some things, she said Kingsley started yelling at her and calling her names.

Lt. Holt reported the alleged victim said Kingsley stood in front of her and wouldn’t let her leave then hit her with a closed fist to the left side of her face. She was holding a bag of ice to her cheek area during their conversation. When she told Kingsley she was going to call Lt. Holt and she pulled out her phone, Kingsley allegedly tried to take it from her and she ended up on the floor with the phone tucked under her. The victim alleged Kingsley then started to beat her face on the floor. When she was able to get up, he delayed her by blocking a doorway then when he let her leave, she went straight to her mother’s house.

When Lt. Holt and Deputy Walker talked to Kingsley at his residence, he confirmed there was an argument with his daughter over her hanging out with two boys, but he said the argument did not get physical and he did not touch his daughter, adding that she probably hit herself. He did confirm that she had threatened to call the officer but denied trying to take her phone and denied pushing her head into the floor.

Kingsley was taken into custody and booked into the Greene County Jail at 11:58 p.m. with bond set at $10,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. He has since posted bond and been released.

When Kingsley appeared in Greene Superior Court yesterday for his initial hearing, a public defender was appointed to represent him and he was formally charged with:

Confinement, a Level 6 felony,
Domestic battery, a Class A misdemeanor,
Interference with the reporting of a crime, a Class A misdemeanor, and
Disorderly conduct – engaged in fighting or tumultuous conduct, a Class B misdemeanor.