SOUTH BEND — Lakeville clerk-treasurer Casey Grove, who remains in the St. Joseph County Jail, resigned today.

Grove, 30, signed a letter resigning from his Lakeville position during a hearing this morning in St. Joseph Circuit Court.

Grove, who appeared without an attorney, told Judge Michael Gotsch that he was resigning of his own free will.

Grove, who turned himself in a week ago, faces criminal charges of felony residential entry and misdemeanor battery for an incident unrelated to his public office. Prosecutors say Grove attacked his 20-year-old girlfriend Oct. 22 after finding her at another man's home in South Bend.

Today's hearing was called to determine whether to make permanent an Oct. 29 restraining order preventing Grove from conducting business on behalf of the town of Lakeville. The restraining order was made permanent at the same time that Grove signed the letter of resignation.

Immediately after the hearing, Tonya McKee of Lakeville was sworn in as the town's new deputy clerk-treasurer.

The position of clerk-treasurer remains open. A replacement will be named by the St. Joseph County Republican Party chairman.

The State Board of Accounts is continuing an audit of the Lakeville town financial records, McKee said. As clerk-treasurer, Grove had access to a town credit card, but town leaders have declined to say so far whether any unauthorized charges have surfaced.