County EMA director arrested, charged with battery

A Putnam County official is facing charges of domestic battery following his arrest early Wednesday.

Emergency Management Director Kim Rey Hyten, 39, of North CR 275 East in Fillmore, was booked into the Putnam County Jail by Indiana State Police Trooper Charlie Boller at 3:51 a.m.

Boller said he was dispatched to Hyten's home at about 2:15 a.m. after Hyten's wife called 911.

County dispatchers forwarded the call to the State Police because Hyten works in the Courthouse and they wanted to avoid any conflict of interest, the trooper added.

Boller told the BannerGraphic that when he arrived, Hyten's wife had "minor marks" on her wrist and a complaint of pain in her arm and shoulder.

Hyten was cooperative with police and said he didn't remember what had happened, Boller said.

Indiana law required Boller to arrest Hyten because his wife showed evidence of injury from the argument, the trooper said.

Hyten has been employed by the county since the 1990s and currently works as the planning director and emergency management agency director.

Hyten was held in jail until he appeared in front of Judge Robert Lowe Wednesday afternoon and charged with the class A misdemeanor, Prosecutor Tim Bookwalter told the BannerGraphic.

After the hearing, he was released on his own recognizance.

Putnam County Commissioners Gene Beck and Kristina Warren were both contacted to weigh in on Hyten's arrest.

However, Beck declined to give a statement until he could review the information and Warren was out of the county at a workshop and did not return phone calls.

Boller would like to remind the public that Hyten -- as with anyone accused of a crime -- should be considered innocent until proven guilty.