Beth Rumsey, Staff Writer

Ripley County Prosecutor Ric Hertel has filed formal charges of Possession of a Firearm by a Serious Violent Felon, Strangulation and Domestic Battery against Clifford H. Winters Jr. (Doc), 44, of Osgood.

Those charges stem from an incident that occurred on August 30 when Winters is accused of going to his wife’s home at 146 W. Wilson Street in Osgood where she says he beat and strangled her, according to the Affidavit for Probable Cause.

According to the filed paperwork, the reporting officer noted that the victim had “obviously been involved in a fight because she was bleeding from her head and nose.” She told the officer that Winters had done this to her. There were two of the couple’s children at the home at the time who intervened on her behalf, she told police.

When the officer, Deputy Rob Bradley of the Ripley County Sheriff’s Office went to look for Winters, who had fled the residence where the alleged domestic battery occurred, he found him at 508 Leslie Street. The Probable Cause Affidavit says he was “unable to obtain a statement from him (Winters) due to a self-inflicted gunshot wound.”

This is where the Indiana State Police took over the investigation and according to Detective Tracy Rohlfing’s report, a .38 caliber handgun with two rounds spent was removed from Winters as “law enforcement came to his aid.”

The report noted that several police officers were at the residence with Winters when the gun was fired. He noted, “It was plainly apparent that Winters shot himself.” It was also noted that a suicide note was found in Winters’ belongings that appeared to have been signed by Winters.

Since Winters had a previous conviction in Decatur County of Dealing in a Narcotic Drug in 1984, he was charged with being a serious violent felon in possession of a handgun.

Winters was taken to the University Hospital in Cincinnati via helicopter for his self-inflicted gunshot wound where he was in serious condition. He was eventually released from the hospital and on September 17 charges were filed against him and a warrant put out for his arrest. He was taken into custody and at press time was still incarcerated at the Ripley County Jail under $75,000 bail, which means he needs $7,550 to get out of jail.

A jury trial has been set in the matter for February 23 at 9 a.m. in Ripley County Circuit Court.