Kansas Rep. Aaron Coleman charged with misdemeanor domestic battery in Johnson County
Kansas Rep. Aaron Coleman, who has a history of alleged abusive behavior, was charged Monday after he was arrested over the weekend on an accusation of domestic battery.
Coleman, 21, was charged with the misdemeanor in Johnson County District Court for allegedly “unlawfully, knowingly, or recklessly” causing bodily harm or physical contact Saturday with a person in a “rude, insulting, or angry manner.”
The victim in the case is either someone Coleman has dated, a relative or a household member, according to the complaint filed against him by an assistant district attorney. Further details of the allegations were not immediately known.
Police have not said where the incident Saturday occurred. Scanner traffic captured by Broadcastify.com, however, showed that at about 7:45 p.m., dispatchers said they got a call of a “verbal” at an address listed in public records as belonging to Coleman’s grandmother.
Dispatchers described the call as a “verbal” between the person who called 911 and an “unknown subject.” The caller, they said, stated his phone was stolen and he got it back. The caller also advised there was a domestic dispute.
Coleman’s grandmother, Marsha Tomberlin, who is also listed as his treasurer, told The Topeka Capital-Journal that she witnessed Coleman and a male relative argue over “religious beliefs” before Coleman claimed the family member took his phone.
Tomberlin said Coleman — a freshman Kansas City, Kansas, Democrat — was the one who called 911 and that the relative did not want to press charges, the newspaper reported.
“It was an incident and the newspaper blew it up,” Tomberlin told the Capital-Journal. “He and (the family member) got in an argument — that’s it.”
Reached Monday, Tomberlin said she was busy when The Star called and could not talk at that moment.
Overland Park police took Coleman into custody at 8:15 p.m. Saturday. He was booked at 12:45 a.m. Sunday into the Johnson County jail, where he remained Monday morning, according to jail records. He is set to be arraigned at 2:30 p.m. Monday.
David Bell, one of Coleman’s attorneys, had no comment Monday morning.
Coleman’s arrest has prompted new calls for his resignation.
The Star’s Robert A. Cronkleton contributed to this report.
This story was originally published November 1, 2021 at 10:35 AM.
