Change of plea slated for Batchelor

A Brazil man will be in Putnam County Circuit Court for a change of plea hearing on Jan. 12.

Michael S. Batchelor, 52, is facing charges of attempted arson, domestic battery and theft of a vehicle.

According to a case report filed by Putnam County Sheriff's Department Deputy Ronnie Campbell, Campbell was dispatched on Oct. 7 to a residence in the 9000 block of South C.R. 825W, Reelsville, for "a domestic that had turned into an attempted arson."

The alleged victim told Campbell that she and Batchelor, who had left the scene, had been arguing, and Batchelor flipped over a chair while she was sitting in it.

The victim went on to say that "(Batchelor) went outside with newspaper and when she came out, Mr. Batchelor threw a log at her," Campbell wrote. "While outside, (the alleged victim) saw Mr. Batchelor make a fire in her barn full of dry wood."

The Reelsville Fire Department was called to extinguish the blaze, and it was doused before Campbell arrived, court documents said.

"But you could see where the fire had burned the logs approximately 2 ½ feet high," Campbell wrote. "After Mr. Batchelor set the fire, he left in (the alleged victim's) truck. Mr. Batchelor does not possess a valid driver's license."

Batchelor returned to the alleged victim's residence later that evening, but left again before police could apprehend him. When he departed, he took the alleged victim's truck without permission for a second time, court documents said.

Batchelor was arrested on Oct. 9. He has been lodged at the Putnam County Jail since then in lieu of a $10,000 bond with 10 percent allowed that was set on Oct. 14. Batchelor initially entered a not guilty plea to the charges.