Arrested Trenton, Ga., official accused of hitting wife

Thursday, August 18, 2011

photo Trenton Commissioner Charles Wayne Cannon

A Trenton city commissioner who was charged with simple battery over the weekend also had a protection order filed against him by his wife the day after he was arrested.

Chuck Cannon, 36, was arrested Sunday evening at a friend's home after the friend's wife called police, a Trenton police report shows.

The two men, who were lifelong friends, had gotten into an argument that turned into a fight at the Church Street home, Cannon has previously said.

Cannon was taken to the Dade County Jail and released Monday afternoon on a $2,500 bond.

But before Cannon was released from jail, his wife, Ericka, filed the petition against her husband at 1:20 p.m., claiming he had hit her during a fight Friday night.

Cannon didn't deny hitting his wife, but said "it didn't happen like that." He declined to explain further.

But he added, "This isn't the worst fight we've been in this month."

When asked if the fight with his wife was related to the arrest on Sunday, Cannon paused before saying, "no."

The petition for a protection order filed in Dade County Superior Court states that, when Chuck Cannon came home late Friday night, his wife asked where he was.

When the couple got into an argument, he threw his laptop on the feet of his wife, who was on the bed, and she kicked it to the floor, the document states. The petition then says Cannon jumped on his wife, hitting her with his elbow before chasing her and her daughter out of the house.

The petition also claims Cannon has in the past choked his wife, pulled her hair and tried to smother her with his hand.

Cannon hasn't been charged in connection with the fight with his wife, police say.

Ericka Cannon's listed home phone number was not in service, and she couldn't be reached for comment.

But Chuck Cannon argued that his wife didn't file any charges with police Friday night and only after he was arrested did she file the protection order.

Georgia Bureau of Investigation Special Agent Dan Simms said he hasn't been asked to investigate the protection order, only the simple assault charge. Simms didn't say when that investigation would be complete.

Trenton Mayor Barton Harris said the commission doesn't plan to take any action until the GBI investigation is finished.

Cannon said he has no plans to resign from his position at this time and hopes to have the protection order resolved by this weekend.