Felony count dismissed

 

Lawrence County Commissioner Les Boggs denied a domestic violence charge involving his wife Thursday during a brief appearance in Ironton Municipal Court.

Judge Richard Schisler was brought in from Scioto County to arraign Boggs and preside over the case after Municipal Judge O. Clark Collins recused himself.

The commissioner pleaded not guilty through his attorney, Scott Evans.

The special prosecutor, Ironton-based attorney William Kennedy, said the third-degree felony charge of disrupting public service was dismissed at the request of Boggs’ wife.

Schisler continued bond as well as a temporary protection order.

According to Kennedy, the protection order prohibits Boggs and his wife from residing together.

Schisler set a pretrial in the case for 10 a.m. Feb. 21.

Boggs, 51, was charged with the first-degree misdemeanor crime after he was arrested at his home Monday by the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the sheriff’s report, filed by deputies John Chapman and Tony Williams, the domestic violence charge stems from a 911 call from Boggs’ home off County Road 181 (Hog Run Road) just outside of Ironton at approximately 4:20 p.m. Monday.

According to the report, Tara Boggs came home and walked in front of the commissioner while he was playing a video game.

“He told her to move and they exchanged some words and she went upstairs,” the report states. “He followed yelling at her. … She states during this time he became violent and grabbed and pulled the back of her hair.”

Tara Boggs then pulled a cell phone out of her purse. Boggs took the phone away from her and left their home, according to the report. That led to the felony charge.

“She states she fears for her safety and this isn’t the first time he has touched her,” the report stated. “She also states she has given her attorney pictures of physical abuse to her person for pending divorce.”

Chapman reported that were no signs of physical struggle and that Tara Boggs did not receive any injuries during the alleged incident.

Les Boggs, through his attorney, and Tara Boggs have both declined to comment on the situation.

Les Boggs filed for divorce in October and the case remains ongoing in Lawrence County court.

He was booked at 6:04 p.m. in the county jail and was released about a half hour later after posting a $1,000 bond through Soward’s Bonding of Chesapeake.

Boggs was elected to the commission in 2008 and just began his second four-year term on Jan 1. He served as commission president for two years, with the last term ending earlier Monday when Bill Pratt was appointed to that spot.

Prior to joining the commission, Boggs served as the county’s clerk of courts for four years and on the Dawson-Bryant Board of Education.