JERSEYVILLE – A Jerseyville man accused of invading a home he tried breaking into earlier the same night faces multiple felonies after battering the home’s occupants and a responding police officer.
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Kaeleb D. Austin, 26, of Jerseyville, was charged on July 3, 2025 with a Class X felony count of home invasion, a Class 2 felony count of aggravated battery, and three Class A misdemeanors including two counts of battery and one count of criminal damage to property.
On July 2, Austin allegedly entered an occupied Jersey County residence without legal authority, struck one of the occupants in the face with a closed fist, pushed another occupant, and kicked a police officer twice in the chest while the officer attempted to detain him. He is also accused of causing over $500 of damage to one of the home’s front windows.
Austin first attempted to break into the home’s back door and window at approximately 10:52 p.m., according to the state’s petition to deny his pretrial release from custody. When law enforcement arrived to the initial reported disturbance, Austin was advised to “not attempt to enter the residence again.”
Just under an hour later, at about 11:41 p.m., “law enforcement responded to the scene again, where the defendant had gained entry into the residence and was battering the victims.”
The responding officer reported seeing Austin “ball up his fist and strike the front window of the residence.” He then attempted to detain Austin, who struck the hood of the patrol vehicle with his forehead and refused to enter the vehicle as instructed. After finally entering the police vehicle, Austin reportedly struck the officer “twice in the chest with his right foot and then began striking the cars of the patrol car’s back window.”
On July 7, 2025, Austin was ordered to remain in custody pending a detention hearing on the state’s Petition to Deny Pretrial Release, which is set for July 28, 2025.
All individuals charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
