Michigan state senator charged after allegedly shooting at ex-wife's car
By Serena Maria Daniels DETROIT (Reuters) - A Michigan state senator was charged on Tuesday with multiple crimes after shooting at his ex-wife's Mercedes-Benz outside his house during the weekend, prosecutors said. Senator Virgil Smith, 35, a Democrat in Michigan's fourth district, which covers part of Detroit and some of its suburbs, was arraigned on charges of felonious assault, malicious destruction of property valued at $20,000 or more, domestic violence assault and battery and a felony firearm charge. Smith was arraigned and bail was set at $25,000. He appeared on a video hook-up from the jail and the judge entered a plea of not guilty on his behalf. Prosecutors said that at about 1 a.m. on Sunday, Smith's ex-wife, also 35, came to his home and found another woman there. They said Smith assaulted his former wife and fired several shots from a rifle at her 2015 Mercedes-Benz. Smith's attorney did not immediately return calls requesting comment. Smith serves as the chairman of the Michigan Legislative Black Caucus. He was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2002 and served three terms. In 2010 he won a Michigan Senate seat. (Editing by Fiona Ortiz, Peter Cooney and Bill Trott)
