Republican Mississippi state Rep. Doug McLeod, 58, was arrested Saturday night on misdemeanor domestic violence charges after bloodying his wife's face with a punch to her nose, according to an investigative report obtained by the Sun Herald.
Deputies from the George County Sheriff's Department arrived to the scene at McLeod's home at around 9 p.m. local time on May 18 to find the father of three holding a glass of alcohol, the report states. When authorities approached McLeod and informed him of the domestic violence call, McLeod is said to have rhetorically asked, "Are you kidding me?," before walking inside and yelling, "The cops are here."
Upon entering the home, deputies say they saw two visibly frightened women standing at the top of a staircase.
The police report notes that McLeod was visibly drunk, "had slurred speech and walked slow in a zigzag pattern." Deputies say the lawmaker had to hold onto a handrail to keep his balance at one point.
After an unspecified amount of time, McLeod's wife emerged and was reassured by police that she would not come in contact with her husband, who she said "just snapped" amid his drunkenness — as he usually does.
Recounting the events, an unnamed woman who was at the house said she locked both herself and McLeod's wife in her room after McLeod's wife ran in with her face bloodied. The woman said McLeod followed his wife and began banging on the door, threatening to "kill her [expletive] dog" if the woman did not open the door.
Though McLeod's wife elected to not go to the hospital, she did tell deputies she would have her daughter transport her to receive a less costly medical examination so it could be documented for the ongoing investigation.
Fellow Republican lawmaker and Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn believes McLeod should step down if he did commit the domestic assault.
"I have attempted to contact Rep. McLeod to request his resignation, if in fact, these allegations are true," Gunn said in a statement Tuesday. "These actions are unacceptable for anyone."
The Sun Herald says McLeod is currently out on a $1,000 signature bond by Justice Court Jessie Underwood, meaning he was able to forego payment and simply had to sign a document for his release. The misdemeanor domestic assault charge McLeod is facing can carry a six-month jail sentence, a $500 fine or both.
McLeod has yet to comment on the matter, and it is unclear if the lawmaker has hired a lawyer.
