Deputies called to Rep. Bob Young's home in 2020 for 'physical domestic disturbance'

Someone called deputies to current state Rep. Bob Young's house in 2020 for a domestic dispute after an early morning argument between Young and his wife, according to a report from the Summit County Sheriff's Office.

No charges were filed and no arrests were made following the incident, according to the report released late Monday five weeks after the Akron Beacon Journal requested any prior police reports from Young's address.

The Green Republican is currently facing two misdemeanor charges after being accused July 7 of slapping a female family member in the face, throwing her phone in a pool and several hours later charging a male family member, leaving behind a broken storm door and spots of blood.

Witness statements released Tuesday were consistent with the allegations, but also included a new Aug. 8 statement from a woman alleging Young also "struck" her that night.

Young has pleaded not guilty and rebuffed a request for his resignation from the House speaker. He is expected in court for a pre-trial hearing Aug. 31.

The 2020 incident occurred months before Young's first election to the Ohio House of Representatives, a campaign during which he accused his opponent of domestic violence — a claim that is now the subject of an ongoing defamation lawsuit against Young.

In a written statement to the Beacon Journal Tuesday about the 2020 report, Young said: "Like many married couples, sometimes my wife and I have strong disagreements and this incident was a heated argument. It was loud. That's why the police came. No charges were filed against either of us. I continue to ask the public to allow my wife and I to work out our marital difficulties together, in private."

‘You're safe.’ Videos show aftermath of incident that led to arrest of Rep. Bob Young

What happened in 2020?

A Summit County Sheriff's deputy arrived in response to a report of a "physical domestic disturbance" at the Greensburg Road residence at about 2:26 a.m. on May 22, 2020.

"Upon arrival, I was met at the front door of the residence by the homeowner's mother that lives next door," a deputy wrote. "(She) stated there was an argument between her son and his wife but now everything was fine."

The report states the deputy spoke with Young's wife, who was crying and would not talk about the dispute. The deputy observed no visible signs of injury during the interview with her.

Upon interviewing Young, the deputy reported two visible scratches on the left side of his face. When asked about the scratches, he told police "he had no recollection as to what caused the scratches," according to the report.

"Mr. Young refused to answer any questions, opting to smugly stare at the ground," the deputy wrote.

Young and his wife declined medical treatment.

Two children were asked about the alleged incident but reported they saw nothing, the report said.

The deputy advised the family that another incident would require an alternative living arrangement for the rest of the evening.

The sheriff's office said 911 calls are retained for one year and no longer available for this incident.

Bob Young accused of assaulting two family members

The first of two incidents Young is accused of took place at 1 a.m. July 7 at his home on Greensburg Road, where a private party was held after a GOP fundraiser.

A child awakened in Young's home by arguing looked out a window to see Young slap his wife in the face, according to a police report. The child also saw Young throw her phone into the swimming pool.

An argument started between Young and a friend of his wife, the report states. His wife put her hand over his face. That's when he allegedly grabbed her arm and struck the left side of her face with an open hand.

A witness statement released by the sheriff’s office Tuesday revealed another woman claimed she also was struck by Young earlier during the gathering after he became angry when she complained about his behavior.

“He began calling us names, mostly me in our faces,” she wrote in a Aug. 8 witness statement a month after the event. "We were both putting our hands in his face trying to get him to stop. In that moment, I got struck by Bob on my forehead on the left side.”

The woman, who remained at the home, said she later witnessed Young hit his wife and toss her phone into the pool.

Following the incident, his wife and children left the house for a relative's home roughly one mile away. Eight hours later, Young showed up.

Standing on the front stoop, a male relative told Young he was not allowed to enter the house, police said.

Denied entry, Young allegedly "lowered his shoulder and charged at (the relative) in an attempt to enter the home without permission," the report reads. The following scuffle saw the relative defend himself by pushing the lawmaker back through the glass storm door.

Young faces two first-degree misdemeanor charges in Barberton court — domestic violence and assault.

He faces no felony charges, though he was initially charged with a felony count of disrupting public service. A felony conviction would have prevented Young from serving as a state representative.

Restraining orders currently prevent the lawmaker from having contact with the two family members who were victims in the case.

Rep. Young refuses to resign

Since the incidents, Ohio House Speaker Jason Stephens, who attended a fundraiser for Young and visited his home afterward, has called for Young's resignation so he can focus on his family.

In a July 18 statement to the Beacon Journal, Young called his behavior inappropriate, but not criminal. He said he has voluntarily entered a counseling program to "work through these issues." He refused to resign.

"On this particular evening at my home, we had some drinks and I acted poorly and said things I shouldn’t have," Young wrote. “My behavior, while not criminal, was inappropriate and out of character.”

Lawsuit over 'false' domestic violence attack ads

While Young faces misdemeanor charges of domestic violence and assault, he is also being sued for campaign ads in 2020 that accused his then-opponent, Matt Shaughnessy, of being "guilty" of domestic violence 20 years earlier.

Shaughnessy, however, was never charged with domestic violence.

Shaughnessy, like Young, is a former Green councilman. He worked to help domestic violence victims recoup economic losses.

The lawsuit is ongoing as of mid-August. Young and his campaign filed a motion denying that the ads were false or defamatory in February.

Sheriff's office withheld records

This week's records release included documents the Beacon Journal originally sought immediately after Young's arrest. In cases like Young's arrest, journalists routinely request public records to determine if any pertinent reports have been filed before. Such records, if they exist, are normally provided within a few business days by most agencies.

In this case, the Beacon Journal's attorney formally objected to the delay in releasing the records on Aug. 7, asking the Summit County Prosecutor's Office to ensure the sheriff was following public records law.

This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Deputies called to Rep. Bob Young's home in 2020 domestic dispute