Three teens accused of ambushing, beating victim

Bartholomew County Sheriff deputies have arrested three teens on kidnapping, robbery, criminal confinement and battery charges after a 19-year-old male said he was attacked and beaten in an ambush at a barn on the east side of the county.

On June 10, according to jail book-in records, deputies arrested:

• Charles Breedlove, 18, of 2017 14th St., Columbus, being held on a 72-hour-hold, accused of preliminary charges of Level 3 felony kidnapping, Level 2 felony robbery, Level 3 felony criminal confinement and Level 3 felony aggravated battery.
• Emily Franklin, 18, of 8585 S. State Highway 3, Commiskey, being held on a 72-hour-hold, accused of preliminary charges of Level 3 felony kidnapping, Level 2 felony robbery, Level 3 felony criminal confinement and Level 3 felony aggravated battery.
• Ashton Fields, 18, of 762 Clifty Drive – C, Columbus, being held on a 72 hour hold, accused of preliminary charges of Level 3 felony kidnapping, Level 2 felony robbery, Level 3 felony criminal confinement and Level 3 felony aggravated battery.

Deputies were sent to Columbus Regional Hospital June 3 about the victim, who is from Columbus. They said the victim had a significant amount of dried blood covering the right side of his face, a swollen and bleeding lip, a large cut on the right side of his face, another laceration across his right cheek, a contusion across his neck and cuts and scrapes on his neck and face.

The victim stated that he accepted an offer from a female acquaintance to get food in town, said Sgt. Dane Duke, Bartholomew County Sheriff Department spokesman.

But instead of stopping at a restaurant, the female drove to an abandoned barn in the east part of the county where several masked individuals approached the parked car and pulled the victim from the car into the barn, Duke said.

The victim was beaten, struck several times and possibly cut with a knife. After the altercation, the victim was left in the barn, and he was able to walk to a nearby neighborhood to summon help from a resident, Duke said.

Duke said the investigation is ongoing and the sheriff’s department is seeking tips from the public for information about the incident.