Appeals court upholds Wayne County man's conviction for battering juvenile

RICHMOND, Ind. — The Indiana Court of Appeals has upheld a Wayne County man's conviction for battering a juvenile.

A Wayne Superior Court 3 jury in May found William Charles Summers Jr., 49, of Cambridge City, guilty of battery on a person under 14 years old, a Level 5 felony carrying up to 30 months in prison.

Testimony indicated Summers — on Oct. 9, 2022 — was intoxicated while at a relative's home, wanted to watch television and ordered a juvenile, who was playing video games, to leave the room.

After the boy told Summers to leave him alone and "go back to bed," the Cambridge City man hurled a step ladder at the youth, striking him in the shoulder.

Summers, described as having slurred speech, announced he intended to kill the juvenile, witnesses said, and struck him on the head and arms with his fists.

More: Wayne County man faces felony charge; accused of striking child in face

The attack left the child with a "fairly deep laceration" on his right eyebrow, according to court documents.

Witnesses said Summers later called authorities and claimed the teen had threatened to kill him.

The Cambridge City man was sentenced to a year of incarceration by Judge Darrin Dolehanty.

In an appeal, Summers called the testimony of his victim "incredibly dubious." In a recent 3-0 ruling, the Indiana Court of Appeals did not agree with that assessment.

"There is nothing about (the victim's) testimony that is inherently improbable," Judge Robert Altice wrote. "And there was ample circumstantial evidence of Summers' guilt."

According to court records, Summers had earlier convictions for battery with a deadly weapon, battery against a public safety official and strangulation.

The Indiana Department of Correction website indicates he recently completed serving his sentence in the domestic battery case.

Douglas Walker is a news reporter for The Star Press. Contact him at 765-213-5851 or at dwalker@muncie.gannett.com.

This article originally appeared on Muncie Star Press: Wayne County man's conviction for battering juvenile upheld