GreeneStreets. Feature photo of a back country road in Greene County, Indiana.


Woman accused of punching another woman then threatening her with a knife

A rural Bloomfield woman is accused of giving another woman a black eye and a fat lip in a physical altercation, then holding a knife to the woman’s back while threatening to kill her.

Brandi Tatum

Brandi Tatum

Brandi Marie Tatum, 22, Bloomfield, was arrested by Greene County Sheriff’s Deputy Alan Jackson and booked into the Greene County Jail around 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, April 24.

GCSD Deputy Jackson, the investigating officer, was first dispatched along with Deputy David Elmore to an address on North Algood Drive after Tatum had called in to report a 13-year-old was trying to come after her. While they were enroute, they learned Tatum said she had removed herself from the situation and was at the Greene County Chapel at Greene County Line Road and Chapel Road.

At that point, Deputy Jackson headed to the address on Algood Drive and Deputy Elmore headed to Greene County Chapel. But, Deputy Jackson reported nobody was at the address and it didn’t appear as if anyone lived there. And Deputy Elmore reported Tatum was not at the Greene County Chapel.

Deputy Jackson then traveled to an address where a family member was believed to be living but did not find anyone he was looking for.

Next, a dispatcher advised him that Tatum had just reported her boyfriend tried to stab himself in the neck with a knife but he wasn’t bleeding and that they were in front of Greene County Chapel.

When the deputies arrived at Greene County Chapel this time, they located Tatum and a male who they eventually determined gave them a false name because he had warrants out for his arrest in Monroe County. The man said he had not tried to stab himself and was not suicidal.

When Deputy Jackson talked to Tatum, she said there had been an altercation on East Shady Meadows Drive but she didn’t know the address. The issue was between Tatum and other family members and friends. She allegedly admitted she had gotten into it with the other woman, her brother’s girlfriend, but the other woman came at her first. According to Jackson, Tatum said the other woman might have a fat lip and that she’d only hit her once or twice.

But another family member who was present during the altercation called in to report Tatum had pulled a knife on the other woman.

When Jackson made a call to talk to the reporting party then traveled to the residence on East Shady Meadows and talked to several individuals who were witnesses, it seemed a verbal altercation turned physical and that Tatum had attacked the woman with a closed fist, then picked up a knife and held it on the woman, threatening her.

Deputy Jackson took photos of the woman’s injuries which he said included a black eye, a fat lip, and scratches to the right side of her face.

This week, on Wednesday, April 30, Tatum appeared in Greene Superior Court for an initial hearing and was charged with intimidation – where the defendant draws or uses a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony, and battery resulting in bodily injury, a Class A misdemeanor.

Her bond is set at $11,000 surety with ten percent cash allowed. As of Friday evening, May 3, she had not posted bond and remained in jail.