A 62-year-old Terre Haute man is facing a felony charge after authorities say he stabbed a 78-year-old woman during an altercation inside her home on State Road 159 on Saturday. The victim, identified by local officials as Sondra Bramble, was taken to Union Hospital for treatment. Investigators say the suspect was later stopped by Terre Haute police in an unrelated traffic stop and then brought to the Vigo County Sheriff's Office for questioning.
In a Facebook post that included photos and a short timeline of events, the Vigo County Sheriff's Office said deputies first responded to Union Hospital on a report of a stabbing and found Bramble already being treated there. Deputies detained Terry Smith, 62, and requested the Criminal Investigations Unit, and the Vigo County Prosecutor later authorized a Level 3 aggravated battery charge, according to Vigo County Sheriff's Office.
Sheriff Derek Fell leads the Vigo County Sheriff's Office, which lists its investigative divisions, contact information and Terre Haute address on its official website. The department also posts instructions for reporting tips to investigators, resources it leans on during major assault cases, according to Vigo County Sheriff's Office.
What A Level 3 Aggravated Battery Charge Means
Under Indiana law, aggravated battery becomes a Level 3 felony when a person knowingly or intentionally causes an injury that creates a substantial risk of death or results in serious permanent disfigurement or long-term loss or impairment of a bodily function. A conviction can bring a fixed prison term ranging from three to 16 years, along with fines of up to $10,000, according to Indiana Code.
Investigation And What Comes Next
The sheriff's Facebook post states that Smith was taken to the Vigo County Jail and booked, but it does not list an arraignment date, according to Vigo County Sheriff's Office. Union Health notes that Union Hospital's main Terre Haute campus serves as the region's Level III trauma center, where staff treat victims of serious assaults, according to Union Health. The sheriff's post asks anyone with information about the case to contact the Vigo County Sheriff's Office.
