An Indiana man is accused of lashing out at two women, going as far as to attack one of them during holiday festivities. The defendant, William Joseph Shields, 74, had allegedly been drinking all day and threatening the women until this culminated in an argument over Thanksgiving dinner.
Authorities in Delaware County said they received a call Thursday evening in which a man and a woman were yelling in the background. The man was allegedly drunk and possibly beating one of the women.
William Joseph Shields strangled a woman after Thanksgiving dinner, police said. (Mug shot: Delaware County Sheriff’s Office)
Investigators said they arrived to find two women on the front porch. One of them “could not calm down and was having difficulty breathing.”
“William Shields was in the residence upstairs laying on the ground drinking a glass of water,” investigators said. “William was extremely intoxicated.”
He had allegedly been arguing with one of the women about dinner. As the other woman was trying to put her plate in the sink, Shields stopped her from doing so.
“He got up in her face and began yelling,” authorities said. Shields allegedly struck her in the cheek, though she did not see what he hit her with.
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Shields then allegedly started to strangle her by the throat.
“The fight then went to the ground where she stated he wrapped her up with his legs and using all his weight making it difficult to breathe,” authorities said. She believed that if she had not protected herself and escaped the hold, she would have gone unconscious.
First responders checked on both women, finding that the injured one had a scratch on her left arm and pain in her left cheek.
According to police, the victim had been staying at the other residence to care for the ailing other woman. This other woman said that Shields had been drinking all day and had threatened her several times.
Documents show Shields is charged with strangulation and domestic battery. He was booked Thursday into the Delaware County jail on Thursday on a $10,000 bond.
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