Suspect accused of battering deputy; Intern calls for backup

A Sheriff’s Department intern on a ride-along with a deputy was able to call for help when the officer was attacked by a suspect.

According to the Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department, the incident started at about 6:28 p.m. Tuesday evening when Hope Police and deputies were called to the 12000 block of County Road 425E about a domestic battery . According to witnesses, a suspect battered a male at the residence, injuring the victim’s face. The suspect then fled the scene in a car.

Deputy Tyler Cooper found the suspect’s vehicle near Poshard Drive and pulled it over. The suspect, identified as Bradley Bates refused to cooperate or to get out of the vehicle. As the deputy worked to remove Bates from the vehicle, a fight broke out with Bates striking the deputy repeated in the head. Cooper was able to get back from Bates and use his Taser.

Police say that during the fight Cooper was unable to use his radio, but an intern was in the vehicle who used the car radio to call for help. More deputies arrived and helped subdue Bates.

He was taken to Columbus Regional Health to be checked out and then to jail on preliminary charges including battery on a law enforcement officer, resisting law enforcement and domestic battery.

Cooper was also taken to Columbus Regional Health for treatment and was found to have suffered a concussion.

Sheriff Chris Lane praised Cooper for relying on his training and experience in the situation and the intern for calling for backup.