Hancock County deputies say a late-night domestic assault in New Palestine ended with a woman fleeing to a neighbor's house, convinced she might not survive.
Investigators report that around 1:15 a.m. Tuesday, the woman ran from her home to a nearby residence and begged for help. Deputies responded and had her transported to a hospital in Fishers with serious injuries. The suspect was taken into custody at the scene and later booked on multiple charges, according to authorities.
Twenty-two-year-old Nicolas Anthony Romano is now facing a Level 5 felony count of domestic battery resulting in serious bodily injury, a Level 6 felony charge of strangulation and additional misdemeanor battery counts, as reported by Greenfield Daily Reporter. During an initial appearance in Hancock Circuit Court, Judge Scott Sirk entered a not-guilty plea on Romano's behalf, issued a no-contact order and set his cash bond at $3,500. Prosecutors have scheduled a status-of-counsel hearing for Aug. 6, 2026.
What the charges mean in Indiana
In Indiana, strangulation is its own felony offense, and domestic-battery charges escalate significantly when they involve serious bodily injury. Under state sentencing guidelines, a Level 5 felony generally carries a fixed term of roughly 1 to 6 years, while a Level 6 felony typically ranges from about six months to 22/2 years. Judges may also add other penalties depending on the circumstances of the case and a defendant's prior record. These ranges are outlined in the Indiana Code, as summarized by legal statutes online.
Affidavit describes attack
According to the arrest affidavit, the woman told investigators Romano put her in a headlock, dragged her to the floor and punched her repeatedly in the face with a closed fist. She reported red marks around her neck and said she "felt as if she were taking her last breath and thought she was going to die," the affidavit states.
Deputies noted lacerations on Romano's knuckles and wrote in court documents that they believed the victim may have lost consciousness during the alleged strangling, as reported by Greenfield Daily Reporter.
Local trend
The case lands in the middle of what has become a troubling run of serious domestic-violence incidents in Hancock County, reinforcing prosecutors' public focus on violent assaults. Earlier this summer, deputies pursued multiple felony counts in another late-night attack that left a woman badly injured, previous coverage shows, adding to concerns about escalating violence in the area.
What happens next
Romano remains in custody under the $3,500 cash bond and no-contact order as the case moves forward in Hancock Circuit Court. Defense counsel and prosecutors are scheduled to return to court on Aug. 6 for a status-of-counsel and scheduling hearing.
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the Hancock County Sheriff's Office.
