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Man, 75, charged with battering his wife; another man charged with his seventh domestic battery offense

News-Democrat

A 75-year-old O'Fallon man has been charged with a felony and is accused of battering his 70-year-old wife.

Donald L. Hocher has been charged with aggravated battery. The St. Clair County state's attorney charged the crime as a felony due to the advanced age of the victim.

St. Clair County Deputy Kiwan Guyton arrived at the couple's home in the 400 block of Bethel Road near O'Fallon about noon last Thursday after a concerned person contacted police to make a welfare check on the woman.

When questioned by Guyton, the victim told him Hocher had been verbally abusing her then grabbed her hair and slapped her until she fell. When she tried to get away from him he pulled her to her knees and slammed her head against the floor while yelling at her.

Belleville man accused of punching St. Clair deputy, domestic battery of his girlfriend

News-Democrat

A Belleville man is facing felony aggravated battery charges, accused of punching a deputy in the face during a domestic battery call Monday.

Joshua Coker, 28, of 2128 Bell Ave., was charged Wednesday with aggravated battery to a police officer and a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery.

Coker is accused of punching St. Clair County Sheriff's Deputy Gary Craig in the face just after 5 a.m. Monday at the apartment where his girlfriend lives in the 1000 block of Brookshire Court in unincorporated Belleville.

Joshua Coker - Provided/BND

Mascoutah man leads police on chase through farm fields

Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2008

BY JENNIFER BOWEN - News-Democrat

A Mascoutah man accused of battering a family member led police on a chase through farm fields Thursday evening.

Eric M. Schneidewind, 21, of 6100 Illinois 15 in Mascoutah, is charged with resisting arrest after St. Clair County Sheriff's Department deputies responded to a call to the home for a domestic battery in progress. According to the police report, the phone was taken away from the victim by Schneidewind.

When deputies arrived at the home, they saw Schneidewind run out of the back door of the home and across the backyard into farm fields. Deputy Matthew Dobler jumped out of his squad car and chased Schneidewind.

Eric M. Schneidewind. - Provided to BND

"After the suspect ran, an investigator chased him on foot," said St. Clair County Sheriff's Department Capt. Steve Johnson. "He comandeered a four-wheeler, tackled him, put him on the front of the four-wheeler for transport back, and then the victim did not want to prosecute."

Police have been called to the residence several times in for domestic batteries, Johnson said.

Although the victim didn't want to press charges, the St. Clair County state's attorney issued a warrant for resisting arrest because Schneidewind ran from deputies.

Schneidewind remains in the St. Clair County Jail in lieu of a $7,500 bond.

Contact reporter Jennifer Bowen atjbowen@bnd.com or 239-2667.