WARSAW — A Warsaw man was arrested after he battered his wife while she was 15 weeks pregnant. When she attempted to call 911 for help, he threw her phone against a wall.

Chase Johnathon Burnau

Chase Johnathon Burnau, 23, 303 North Columbia Street, Warsaw, is being charged with battery causing bodily injury to a pregnant woman, a level 5 felony, and domestic battery, a class A misdemeanor.

On May 8, an officer with the Warsaw Police Department responded to a domestic battery call at the Columbia Street residence. The caller advised that Burnau had just left in a red Monte Carlo. The officer approached the residence and observed the described vehicle turn off of Columbia Street. The officer conducted a traffic stop and Burnau advised he wanted to return to the residence and explain the situation.

According to the affidavit of probable cause, Burnau advised he had gotten into an argument with his wife. He told the officer that his wife had pushed him and asked him to leave the residence.

Officers then spoke with the Burnau’s wife. She also advised they had gotten into an argument. She told officers that when she attempted to walk away, Burnau had grabbed her by the hair and hit her between the shoulder blades. He then grabbed her wrist and attempted to use her hands to hit himself in the face. When she told him she was going to call the police, Burnau took her phone and threw it against the wall. She was able to call 911 from a neighbor’s phone.

The victim had soreness to her right wrist and redness to the left side of her face. She told officers that she is married to Burnau and is 15 weeks pregnant with his child. Burnau was aware that she is pregnant at the time of the battery.

Officers then spoke with the neighbor. He advised he heard a fight between the couple and heard the wife yell, “Get off me.” The wife then came to his residence and used his phone to call 911.

Burnau was booked into the Kosciusko County Jail on May 8 with an $11,000 bond.