JANESVILLE – A Janesville woman was arrested near the Ice Age National Scenic Trail on the city's west side June 19 after she took a swing at an acquaintance with an ax because she didn't want them to borrow her cell phone.
According to a criminal complaint, Angela Marie Adams, 49, picked up the ax in anger after an unnamed acquaintance asked to borrow Adams' cell phone to call her boyfriend. Adams insisted she needed the phone to call her daughter.
An officer reported arriving at North River and Ravine streets along the bluff just southwest of the Rock River in Janesville just before 10:30 p.m. Officers found the ax on the ground. The Ice Age Trail is just northeast of the intersection of River and Ravine streets.
According to the complaint, Adams and the victim had been staying in the woods near the railroad tracks along the Ice Age Trail.
Court papers say Adams and the victim began arguing over the phone while sitting on the ground. Adams then reached for the ax and swung it at the victim, but the victim ducked.
Adams dropped the ax and punched the victim in the face, leaving the victim with a bloody nose and a cut on their chin.
The victim told the officer she got on top of Adams to hold Adams down to "try to calm her down," then she and call 911.
While talking with another officer at the scene, Adams claimed she was defending herself. She said "her hair was pulled out" and that "she had been strangled." That officer said they found no marks or redness on Adams' neck.
Adams was charged with repeat second-degree recklessly endangering safety, disorderly conduct and misdemeanor battery — all with repeat use of a dangerous weapon modifiers.
