ANCHORAGE — A former spokesman for the majority caucus of the Alaska House of Representatives who is accused of striking a woman and holding her down by the throat has pleaded not guilty to assault charges.
Will Vandergriff faced two misdemeanor counts of fourth-degree assault Friday in connection with the June 12 incident at an apartment in Anchorage’s Government Hill neighborhood, KTUU-TV reported.
Officers had responded to a 911 call from Vandergriff’s neighbor who reported hearing a woman screaming. They found a woman who told them Vandergriff had hit her on the head several times and pinned her down on the ground to keep her from leaving the apartment they shared, according to court documents.
Police said the woman told them that since February, “’something like this had happened 3-4 times previously but this time was the worst.’”
Vandergriff, 37, was initially arrested for felony assault and released on bail June 13. The misdemeanor charges were filed June 28.
Vandergriff told authorities he and the woman had gotten into an argument but he didn’t assault her, the documents say.
The former press secretary had been placed on administrative leave after the incident and was replaced by Jeremiah Campbell earlier this month.
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