FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WANE) – A Fort Wayne man is accused of battering a woman inside a Barr Street home Thursday, leading to a roughly five-hour standoff with the city police department’s SWAT unit.
Fort Wayne police arrested 28-year-old Trae Bennett at the end of the standoff on numerous preliminary felony counts, including domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury and domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury.
Bennett appeared in Allen Superior Court for an initial hearing Friday where the charges he’s facing were read to him. Court documents detailing what happened inside the home – located in the 3700 block of Barr Street – prior to the standoff were also read to him.
A woman at the home told police she and Bennett both got high Thursday, according to court documents, even though a no-contact order keeping Bennett away from the woman was in place.
After getting high, Bennett is accused of beating the woman, according to court documents.
The woman told police in court documents she was unsure how many times she was hit but at one point she lost consciousness.
Investigators noted in the documents the woman had two black eyes and bruising on her face. Medical staff who treated the woman told one officer she suffered a fractured nasal bone, according to the court documents.
In the home, the victim was on the phone with FWPD Victim Assistance and told the advocate Trae was unaware she was talking to law enforcement and that she needed help, court documents said.
When officers arrived, they were talking to the woman but were unable to get to the front door, according to court documents. That led to officers to determine the woman was being held against her will.
Police negotiators called Bennett on his cell phone and used a loudspeaker in order to get him to respond to them, court documents said.
Heavy-armor vehicles and officers with tactical gear and high-powered rifles surrounded the home during the standoff while a section of the road nearby was also taped off. Police used a “distraction device” before bringing Bennett and the woman outside, police said Thursday.
Bennett was taken to the ground and cuffed. The woman was at first taken to the ground and then led away from the area.
In court, Bennett at first said he did not understand the charges against him. After the court documents were read, he said he understood the charges.
He currently faces the following preliminary charges:
- A Level 5 felony count of domestic battery resulting in serious bodily Injury
- A Level 6 felony count of domestic battery resulting in moderate bodily injury
- A Level 6 felony count of domestic battery in violation of a no contact order
- A Level 6 felony count of confinement
- A Level 6 felony count of invasion of privacy
- A Level 6 felony count of domestic battery where the defendant has a prior conviction.
Bennett is being held in Allen County Jail on $22,500 bond.
