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WCH man indicted for abduction

The News Journal - 11/9/2017

A 29-year-old Washington C.H. man has been indicted by a Fayette County grand jury after he allegedly assaulted his girlfriend repeatedly and refused to let her leave their home.

Joseph P. Simmons, of 720 Broadway St., is facing charges of abduction, a third-degree felony; possession of drugs, a fifth-degree felony; tampering with evidence, a third-degree felony; and domestic violence, a misdemeanor of the first degree.

On Oct. 17, a woman came to the Washington Police Department to report a domestic violence incident. According to police reports, the woman was “very emotional and had multiple visual signs of being assaulted with bruises on her body.”

The alleged victim told police that her live-in boyfriend, Simmons, became angry with her on Oct. 13 after she had taken meth and a meth pipe that allegedly belonged to Simmons and threw it out, reports said. Simmons reportedly confronted the woman, who ran out of the house.

According to reports, Simmons grabbed the woman, pulled her to the ground and attempted to carry her inside the house. She told police that she continued to try to get away, but Simmons kept throwing her to the ground. She also said she screamed for help while outside.

Once they were inside the residence, Simmons allegedly slammed her head against the wall and threw her to the floor while making threats he was going to kill her if she left, reports said. She wasn’t able to call for help because Simmons reportedly broke her phone in the process.

The woman informed police that Simmons made her take a shower with him so she could not be by herself and try to leave. Once in the shower, the woman said she attempted to grab a towel and run for the front door, but as she opened the front door, Simmons allegedly closed the door on her hand, causing small lacerations on the hand. Simmons again allegedly pushed her to the ground and then stomped on her foot.

When their children arrived home on the school bus, the woman said Simmons would not allow her to get the kids off of the bus. “He held the door open while the kids ran in and prevented her from getting the attention of the bus driver,” the report states.

The woman told police that Simmons held her against her will all weekend “because she needed to earn his trust before she could leave and their children were present,” reports said.

Then on Oct. 17, the alleged victim said she saw another pipe and another container of meth in the home, which caused an argument. She was able to get out of the house and get a ride to the police department.

After she spoke to police, a warrant for the arrest of Simmons was issued. Three officers went to 720 Broadway St. to make contact with Simmons. He arrived in a vehicle as officers were getting ready to leave the residence, reports said.

An officer ordered Simmons to exit the vehicle and as he did, he allegedly threw an item underneath the vehicle. Police found a clear container with a crystal-like substance inside.

Simmons was arrested on the domestic violence warrant. As he was searched, officers found a small baggie of marijuana and a marijuana grinder, according to reports.

The crystal-like substance field tested positive for methamphetamine and the narcotics have been sent to the Bureau of Criminal Investigation.

Simmons was indicted last Friday and was arraigned Tuesday in Fayette County Common Pleas Court. He is being held in the Fayette County Jail on a $10,000 bond.