19-year-old arrested for alleged battery, confinement

ELKHART, Ind. – A man was arrested for allegedly confining and harming a woman on Friday, the Elkhart Police Department reported.

At 7:05 p.m., an officer was called to the 300 block of Vistula Street for a report that a man was arguing with a woman and wouldn’t leave her room.

As the officer was traveling to the scene, he was told the man had left the residence.

The victim said that at 6:30 p.m., the man grabbed and broke a decorative chain the victim was wearing around her waist, reports said.

The man and victim began arguing and yelling at each other and the man followed the victim to her room, according to reports.

She tried to leave her bedroom but the man allegedly stood in front of the door and wouldn’t move even after the victim asked him to let her leave, police reported.

The man allegedly grabbed the victim by the shoulders and pushed her onto the ground, holding her there, reports said.

He then allegedly grabbed her phone and prevented her from calling for help, according to reports.

The officer was still on scene when another man came to the residence with the first man in a vehicle, reports said.

Nineteen-year-old Michael Martinez of Elkhart was arrested on the charges of confinement, battery, illegal consumption of an alcoholic beverage, and interference with reporting.

UPDATE: In February 2023, Martinez pleaded guilty to the charge of minor consuming alcohol as part of a plea agreement. His charges for confinement, interference with the reporting of a crime and battery resulting in bodily injury were dismissed, according to case documents. Martinez was sentenced to 60 days in county jail with 60 days suspended. He was also sentenced to one year of probation.