By Joe Johnson
An Athens man who was charged over two years ago for allegedly trying to murder his girlfriend with a baseball bat was recently sentenced to 20 years in prison and 10 years on probation.
The sentence that was imposed Friday on 44-year-old Christopher Adam Warden was in accordance with a plea deal struck that day between Warden and the Western Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office in which Warden pleaded guilty to aggravated assault and two counts of aggravated battery in return for the DA’s office dismissing a charge of criminal attempt to commit murder.
The sentence gives Warden credit for time already served in confinement at the county jail since he was arrested two years and eight months ago.
According to Athens-Clarke County police, the incident for which Warden was arrested occurred early the morning of Jan. 6, 2019 in trailer he shared with the victim at the Oak Grove Mobile Home Park off Lexington Road.
Responding to 2:34 a.m. report of an assault in progress, officers heard sounds of a struggle inside the home and a 911 dispatcher informed them that the victim said she was being beaten with a bat, according to police.
Officers subsequently forced their way into the residence, police said.
While detaining Warden, officer began providing emergency aid to the 46-year-old victim, police said.
An officer forced open the trailer’s back door to provide National EMS personnel quicker access to the severely injured woman, police said.
After helping load the victim onto a stretcher and into an ambulance, the officer drove the ambulance to the hospital to allow the EMS crew to continue providing “life-saving care,” according to police.
Warden was arrested at the scene and initially charged under the state Family Violence Act with aggravated assault and aggravated battery.
A grand jury subsequently charged Warden with criminal attempt to commit murder for striking the victim “in the head with a baseball bat with force.”
The attack “constitutes a substantial step toward the commission of (murder)” the indictment noted.
Warden was additionally charged in the indictment with aggravated assault and two counts of aggravated battery for “rendering” the victim’s jaw and a finger “useless.”