New Castle man cut wife with knife angry over laundry dispute, court docs reveal

NEW CASTLE, Ind. — Police accuse a 78-year-old man of slicing his wife with a Bowie knife all because he was angry that she washed a chair cushion.

Frank Barlow of New Castle is charged with one count of domestic battery with a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony; intimidation with a deadly weapon, a Level 5 felony; and criminal recklessness with a deadly weapon, a Level 6 felony.

Court documents detail how New Castle police were called to the 1600 block of P Avenue on Oct. 7 on report of a domestic dispute.

The 83-year-old victim reportedly showed police a laceration on her hand and told officers that her husband, Barlow, had cut her with a knife while also allegedly holding the weapon against her throat and threatening her.

According to the victim, Barlow had told his wife she was no longer able to do laundry and became angry when she washed a chair cushion. Part of the reason Barlow was reportedly angry was because the chair cushion had a pocket to hold the remote, and without the cushion, he could no longer holster the TV remote.

Officers ended up catching up with Barlow at a local restaurant, where he denied the accusations.

The Bowie knife was recovered from the home and logged into evidence, police said.

If convicted of a Level 5 felony, Barlow could face up to six years in prison.