Man suspected of ongoing domestic abuse charged with two felony counts

After a month-long investigation into a suspected abusive relationship involving a fearful victim and a Linton man, who now has a home address in Jasonville, the man was taken into custody last Friday. Today he was formally charged with two Level 5 felonies and he’s still in jail.

Jonah Garrett Cooley

Jonah Garrett Cooley, 23, Linton at the time of his arrest, now Jasonville, was arrested by Officer Davis Aerne of the Linton Police Department last Friday afternoon, January 28, on a warrant that was issued that same morning as a result of an investigation by LPD Chief Paul Clark.

The investigation began on Christmas Eve when the Department of Child Services (DCS) received information that a woman had been to the hospital with an injury to her foot and there was the potential that the injury was the result of a domestic battery. Chief Clark responded to the woman’s residence with DCS to talk to the woman who’d been injured, along with her child who had been present in the residence when the injury occurred.

Chief Clark reported the woman was in a relationship with Jonah Cooley and that she was adamant that her injury was an accident and not related to any violence. She gave details about this accident. Chief Clark told her he didn’t believe her story. Although she then acknowledged she was hiding the truth, she didn’t disclose what really happened and said she was afraid of what would happen. Chief Clark described how she seemed scared and was offered assistance but was reluctant to accept help, However, after Chief Clark and DCS talked to her about her safety, she agreed to stay elsewhere at that time.

Later during another conversation with the alleged victim, she provided more details including how Cooley made demands that she had to immediately comply with and how she was not allowed to do some things unless he told her to. She allegedly described an argument in which she was told to take a shower then when she was going to the shower, he got in her face then grabbed her by the hair of the head and pulled her around. She described it as being slung around like a ragdoll. During this struggle, her foot was injured and bleeding. She was able to escape the situation and go to the hospital by calling a family member.

When Chief Clark was able to talk to Cooley in January, he allegedly claimed he was battered by the woman, that she charged at him, pushed him into a door and threw a make-up case at him.

Chief Clark noted Cooley’s criminal history includes a conviction of domestic battery in the presence of a child, a Level 5 felony, in 2019 – the case involved the same victim.

After the information from the investigation and all interviews was submitted to the Greene County Prosecutor’s Office, a criminal case was filed against Cooley last week in Greene Circuit Court and the warrant for his arrest was issued last Friday.

Cooley was taken into custody by Officer Aerne and booked into the Greene County Jail at 3:02 p.m.

When he appeared in Circuit Court, via two-way video between the jail and the courtroom, for his initial hearing earlier today, he was formally charged with:

• Battery resulting in bodily injury to a pregnant woman, a Level 5 felony, and

• Battery where defendant has a prior battery conviction with the same victim, a Level 5 felony.

A public defender was appointed to represent him and he was served with a protective order, ordering him to have no contact with the alleged victim.

Court records show he now has a home address in Jasonville.

Cooley’s bond is set at $20,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. As of late today/Tuesday, he has not yet posted bond and remains in jail.