North Vernon man arrested after alleged stabbing

A Jennings County man was arrested Thursday evening after Jennings County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a reported stabbing in the 500 block of Washington Street in Vernon.

Sheriff’s Department Spokesman Lt. Mike Mowery says that at Stokes picapproximately 6:52 p.m. Deputies were dispatched to the scene after being advised that a female had been stabbed multiple times by a male suspect. Upon arrival, Deputies Garrett Hoppock and Drew Heilers located the victim, 31-year-old Amanda Hardesty, of Vernon, in the kitchen of her home. Mowery says Hardesty was suffering from two puncture wounds to her chest.

Mowery says that during the course of the investigation, Deputies found the knife that was used in the alleged stabbing. He says the suspect, 48-year-old Scott Stokes, of North Vernon, had hidden himself in the attic of the home and refused to come out. After a short time, Deputies say they were able to take Stokes into custody without incident.

Stokes was booked in the Jennings County Jail on the following preliminary charges:

Criminal Recklessness with a Deadly Weapon Level (Level 6 Felony)
Domestic Battery Level (Level 6 Felony)
Disorderly Conduct (B-Misdemeanor)
Battery Causing Bodily Injury with a Deadly Weapon (Level 5 Felony)
Resisting Law Enforcement (A-Misdemeanor)
Intimidation with a Deadly Weapon (Level 5 Felony)

Mowery adds that Stokes is also on Parole with the Indiana Department of Corrections. He is being held on a $2,055 bond. Mowery says that the extent of Hardesty’s injuries are unknown, but they are not believed to be life-threatening. The incident is still under investigation by the Jennings County Sheriff’s Department.