Former Danville firefighter arrested for domestic battery

DANVILLE, Ind. — The Johnson County Sheriff's Office arrested a recently resigned Danville firefighter on June 20 on a domestic battery charge.

According to court documents, officers responded to a disturbance around 4:09 p.m. at a Danville residence. There, they found Joseph Gourley, 39, an employee of the Danville Fire Department from July 2023 until his resignation Saturday, sitting in the front yard, apparently intoxicated.

JCSO officers reported speaking with Gourley’s soon-to-be ex-wife. She said Gourley rang the doorbell in an attempt to get into the home. The woman tried to keep the door closed, prompting Gourley to kick the door several times, causing it to crack. Court documents state that the woman’s struggle to keep the door closed left her with marks on her knees, wrists and arms. She showed no signs of intoxication.

Although the couple is not yet officially divorced, Gourley has been living apart from his wife for several months, police said. According to Gourley, his wife had repeatedly assaulted him when he tried to enter the home. He claims he “forced his way into the house without laying his hands on her” and told officers “…he still had a right to be there since they were still married.”

According to court documents, one of Gourley's neighbors told police he had come to the residence two days in a row. Gourley allegedly swung his arms at his wife, grabbed her leg and arm as if trying to pick her up and threatened to throw her off the porch.

JCSO said Gourley's wife had an emergency protective order against him and was told he could not be at her residence.

Based on all of this information, a police officer arrested Gourley for domestic violence. He was transported to the Johnson County Jail without incident, police wrote. JCSO is still investigating the case, but Gourley's wife is not currently facing any charges.

No passport photo of Gourley has yet been provided.