A 22-year-old Columbus man is facing six preliminary felony charges after Bartholomew County deputies say he battered his live-in girlfriend and pointed a firearm at her and their child during a domestic incident at their home. Deputies said the woman fled to a neighbor's residence to call for help, and a subsequent search of the home turned up suspected cocaine.
According to The Republic, Bartholomew County Sheriff's deputies began investigating a domestic battery incident at a residence in the 11000 block of S. County Road 800W at approximately 4:37 p.m. Monday. The victim, who shares a child with David Sindlinger and lives with him, went to a neighbor's residence to call for assistance and report what had happened, the outlet reported. A separate account from WISH-TV states that Sindlinger was taken into custody Sunday evening after deputies responded around 4:37 p.m., a discrepancy in timing between the two reports that has not been resolved.
Probable Cause Established For Multiple Offenses
Deputies determined that probable cause existed to arrest Sindlinger for multiple offenses, per a Bartholomew County Sheriff's Office news release cited by the outlet's report. Deputies allege Sindlinger battered his girlfriend and pointed a firearm at both her and their child during the encounter. After his arrest, officers obtained a search warrant for the residence to locate and recover a firearm and suspected narcotics, the report states.
That search turned up suspected cocaine inside the home, according to the sheriff's office news release referenced in the same report. The combination of the alleged assault, the firearm, and the narcotics find led to a lengthy list of preliminary charges against Sindlinger.
Six Preliminary Felony Charges Filed
Sindlinger was preliminarily charged with domestic battery in the presence of a minor, strangulation, criminal confinement, possession of cocaine, dealing in cocaine, and intimidation with a deadly weapon, the report notes. Deputies have stressed that the case remains a preliminary investigation. No information on Sindlinger's booking status, bond, or an upcoming court date was included in the available reporting.
As with any criminal case, Sindlinger is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in a court of law. The allegations outlined by investigators have not been adjudicated, and the underlying arrest affidavit was not made available for independent review.
