Mike C. YatesA school board member in Grundy County, Tennessee, was arrested Sunday after sheriff's deputies were dispatched to his home on a domestic call.
Mike C. Yates, 64, of North Partin Circle, Coalmont, was charged with aggravated domestic assault after Deputy Coby Scissom spoke to he and his 52-year-old wife, according to an arrest report.
Scissom first handcuffed and interviewed Yates, who said he and his wife "had both been drinking and an argument started," the report states. "At some point, he advised she got in his face and hit him in the top of the head. Mr. Yates said he then defended himself."
Another deputy spoke with Yates' wife, who said that she and her husband had been arguing and "they had called each other some names" and that her husband "hit her and then kicked her in the face," the report states.
"Mr. Yates had a small scuff on his forehead, and [his wife] had swelling of her left eye which was bruised," according to the report. An ambulance was called to take her to an area hospital to be checked out, and she told officers she would press charges, the report states.
Yates in a telephone interview Tuesday said he was going to fight the charge.
"The comment is basically this. [There's] no truth to it," Yates said. "I'll plead self defense."
In another incident several years ago, Yates was arrested on a charge of domestic assault at the same home after officers responded along with ambulance personnel following an argument about Yates' missing phone, according to a Dec. 14, 2015, report on the incident. A warrant was issued a couple of weeks later charging Yates after authorities were told the couple had pushed each other and his wife showed officers a bruise on her thigh. The 12th Judicial District attorney general's office said evidence would support the charge.
Yates turned himself in 10 days later, the report states.
Yates has an appearance set in General Sessions Court on July 11 on the current charge, according to records.
Contact Ben Benton at bbenton@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6569. Follow him on Twitter @BenBenton or at www.facebook.com/benbenton1.