A Vader man who was released from the Lewis County Jail on Friday after serving his sentence for a domestic violence assault conviction was arrested again on Sunday after he was found inside the victim’s residence.
The man, identified as Joshua D. Harris, 23, of Vader, was initially arrested on Sept. 16 after he assaulted a woman in her Toledo home the week prior, beating her and chasing her with a knife while she was holding a baby.
Harris pleaded guilty to domestic violence fourth-degree assault, third-degree malicious mischief and interfering with domestic violence reporting charges in Lewis County Superior Court on Oct. 27. That same day, a judge issued Harris a 364-day jail sentence with credit for 40 days served and 323 days suspended, meaning he did not have to serve the suspended days in jail as long as he followed his conditions of release.
Those conditions included not committing additional crimes and not violating a court order prohibiting him from contacting the assault victim or going within 1,000 feet of her current residence in Vader until the order expires on Sept. 25, 2024.
Harris was released from custody following his sentencing hearing on Friday, Oct. 27.
Two days later, on Sunday, Oct. 29, the Lewis County Sheriff’s Office received a report from a Vader resident who said “she had seen Joshua Harris inside (the woman’s) residence” and she “did not believe Harris was supposed to be there,” according to court documents.
The reporting party later showed deputies a text from the victim “saying she was going to let ‘Josh’ stay in the house and not to say anything to anyone,” according to court documents. According to the reporting party, the victim left to pick up Harris at about 4 p.m. on Oct. 29 and Harris was visible through the window of the victim’s residence at about 7 p.m. that day.
A deputy reportedly contacted the victim at her residence at about 8 p.m. on Oct. 29 and “advised her to go get Harris,” but she “stated he was not there” and declined the deputy’s request to search the residence. The deputy returned later that day with a search warrant and reportedly found “Harris sitting on the couch holding (a child),” according to court documents, which stated “Harris refused to cooperate and was eventually forcefully arrested due to his demeanor.”
He was booked into the Lewis County Jail just after 9:50 p.m. on Oct. 29, according to jail records. He was initially charged in Lewis County District Court but has since been charged with one count each of domestic violence residential burglary, domestic violence violation of a court order and resisting arrest. The most severe charge, residential burglary, is a class B felony punishable by up to 10 years in prison.
“I know that he was quite frustrated with what he is being accused of,” defense attorney Rachael Tiller said of Harris during his preliminary hearing in Lewis County Superior Court on Monday, Oct. 29, adding that “he completely disagrees” with the allegations.
Given the alleged violation of his release conditions for the September case, the court has issued a no-bail hold for Harris.
Arraignment on the new charges is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 2.
