ANDERSON, Ind. (WTHR) - Indiana State Police say a woman called 911 Friday morning after a man she knew forced his way into her home uninvited and assaulted her.
That man, according to investigators, turned out to be an off-duty Anderson police officer, who is also the son of the chief of police.
"When they arrived, they began speaking to a female. They realized that the alleged suspect could be one of their own, Adam Watters, who was off-duty at the time, so they deferred to the state police," said ISP Sgt. John Bowling.
Indiana State Police say Watters, 23, took off when the woman called 911. They later arrested him at his father's house.
"We investigate every case, it doesn't matter who it is, the same. We're out to find the facts and present those facts to the prosecutor and he decides who's going to be charged and what the charges are going to be," Bowling added.
Watters is facing several charges, among them strangulation, domestic battery, residential entry, official misconduct of a public servant, criminal confinement, and intimidation.
According to Anderson police, Watters has been on the department less than two years. He was hired in October 2017. During his probationary period with the department, Watters was suspended for a day for taking an underage person into a bar.
This is something entirely different.
"We're professionals and we're going to handle it professionally and take it in stride and move forward and continue to provide public safety to our citizens," said Anderson Police Maj. Joel Sandefur.
While the criminal investigation continues, Watters is on unpaid leave. The city's public safety board could decide his future with the department sometime next week.
"The public safety board will convene and take action at that point," said Sandefur.
That action is not tied to how the criminal case moves forward.
Assistant Chief Jake Brown will oversee the internal investigation by the Anderson Police Department.