GRAND LEDGE, Mich. — New information has been released regarding the details of the arrest of Grand Ledge High School teacher Jeffrey Belding.
According to an incident report from the Eaton County Sheriff's Department, deputies were dispatched to a home in Eaton County for a possible domestic assault on Sunday, June 9 at approximately 10:30 a.m.
While en route, deputies were told the incident was between a man and a woman and that the male subject had shoved the woman and forced his way into the residence, the report said.
Deputies said they were then told that the man had left in a blue Toyota.
According to the report, deputies saw a blue Toyota leaving the subdivision with a male driver. Deputies then followed the vehicle, ran the plate and confirmed it was the man involved in the possible domestic assault.
Deputies said they then pulled the vehicle over at the Subway parking lot located at the intersection of St. Joe Highway and Creyts Road.
After approaching the vehicle, deputies asked the man what happened at his ex-wife's residence and asked him if he was Jeff.
The report said he confirmed he was Jeff and he proceeded to tell deputies he was an ex-cop and that there was no offense that gave the deputies a reason to stop him.
After deputies told him that they were called to the possible domestic violence incident and needed to investigate it, Belding told deputies he went to his ex-wife's house because she was prohibiting him from speaking with his son, deputies reported.
The report said Belding spoke to his son and then he left.
When deputies asked Belding if he shoved his ex-wife, he said that she was the one who shoved him and grabbed his phone, according to the report.
Deputies said Belding told them they had been divorced for a year and a half and that he does not live at the home with her. He said she didn't know he was coming over and that he had called and texted her the night before and the morning of the day the incident occurred.
The report indicates he did not have parenting time on June 9, and that he and his ex-wife share 50-50 custody.
While one of the deputies had Belding pulled over, the second deputy made contact with the ex-wife.
Deputies said his ex-wife told them Belding had shoved the door open, causing it to hit her and walked past into the home. His ex-wife reported to deputies he does not live there and never has.
After talking with the ex-wife, deputies said they determined there was enough evidence for an arrest for domestic assault and home invasion.
Belding was then arrested at the Subway parking lot to which he told deputies he never touched his ex-wife and that he never went into the home, the report said.
Deputies said he then told them that he wanted to file charges against his ex-wife for assault because she shoved him. Belding said she was fabricating everything and that she was the one who assaulted him, according to the report.
Belding was taken to the Eaton County Jail where he was read the Miranda Rights and was asked if he wanted to make a statement. Belding told deputies he wanted to make a statement about him being assaulted and not about him being arrested, the incident report said.
He told deputies that he attempted to call and text his ex-wife the night before and the morning of Sunday, June 9 about spending more time with their son that day, the report said.
He said he went to her house, rang the doorbell and asked to speak to his son, according to deputies.
Belding said that as he and his ex-wife were talking, she became upset, took both of her hands and shoved him on the shoulder and he told her not to touch him, deputies said.
The report shows he said he tried to show her a text message that he had sent to her and said she grabbed his phone, however, he said the phone never left his hand. He also claimed he never went into the home, the report said.
Belding was booked at the Eaton County Jail for home invasion and domestic assault.
We will continue to follow this story and update you if new information becomes available.
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