A Summit County grand jury indicted State Rep. Bob Young (R-Green) on two misdemeanor charges stemming from alleged assaults on two family members earlier this month. On the same day he was indicted, he provided his first comment since the arrest, stating that while inappropriate, he does not believe his behavior was criminal, and he will not be resigning from his state representative position.
Young is charged with one count of domestic violence, a first-degree misdemeanor and one count of assault, also a first-degree misdemeanor, according to the Summit County Prosecutor's Office.
His case will be heard in Barberton Municipal Court and handled by the Barberton City Prosecutor's Office since the charges are misdemeanors.
'I acted poorly'
In a statement from Young about what happened, he said that his life has been "very stressful lately" and that he "acted poorly and said things I shouldn't have." Despite the charges he faces, Young said in the statement that his actions weren't criminal but were "inappropriate and out of character."
Young said he has taken steps to seek counseling voluntarily in order to "address some of the issues that led to this incident."
You can read his full statement below:
"Following the unfortunate events of July 7, there has been some inaccurate and unfair speculation on social media and elsewhere. This is a case that’s in the courts now, so I can’t talk about the details.
However, I can say this: no one is above the law and that includes me. I expect to be treated in the same way as any other Summit County resident would be in a similar circumstance.
Recently, I have undervalued Christ as a priority in my family’s life. I love my wife and my family, and they are most important to me. As a State Representative with a business, and a busy family of six, my life has been very stressful lately. On this particular evening at my home, we had some drinks and I acted poorly and said things I shouldn’t have. My behavior, while not criminal, was inappropriate and out of character. I apologize to everyone involved, including and especially my wife and children. I also apologize to my constituents.
I take pride in serving the people of my district and will continue to serve them even as I work through these issues. I know there are better days ahead, which is why I’m voluntarily entering a counseling program to address some of the issues that led to this incident.
I ask fair-minded people for grace to allow my family and I to deal with this privately and to reserve judgment until all the facts can be brought to light."
The alleged assault
According to a Summit County Sheriff's Office report, Young was arguing with a friend at his home around 1 a.m. on July 7 when his wife stuck her hand up in front of his face to "stop him from yelling." The lawmaker then grabbed her arm and struck her face with an open hand during the argument, the report states. She threatened to call the police, but Young took her phone and threw it into the pool.
One hour later, Young's wife arrived at the home of her brother-in-law. She went there to "seek safe haven" with her kids, according to the report.
Young's brother saw the lawmaker pull into the driveway and park in front of his house, the report states. He went outside and told Young that he was not welcome and was not allowed to enter the house. Young then "lowered his shoulder and charged" in an attempt to enter the home without permission, according to authorities.
At the point of initial contact, "a scuffle ensued," according to the report. Young's brother defended himself and pushed back, and the lawmaker went through the glass storm door, the report states. Both men sustained injuries.
Who is Bob Young?
He represents the southern portions of Summit County. Taking office in 2021, the lawmaker works across the aisle on bills relating to finances. He is the chair of the Pensions Committee but also runs a small business in Akron.
Young is currently serving his second term in the House.
Young said that he would not resign from his position despite being asked to by Speaker Jason Stephens (R-Kitts Hill). You can watch more about Young's decision in the player below:
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