Anchorage police said they arrested Will Vandergriff, the long-time press secretary for the Alaska House Majority, following an investigation into an assault on a woman last week, and the House speaker said Monday that Vandergriff has been put on administrative leave.
"His employment status will be considered pending the outcome of the judicial process," House Speaker Mike Chenault, R-Nikiski, said in a phone interview from Kenai Monday.
Police arrested 37-year-old Vandergriff on June 12, a Sunday, after he reportedly fought with a woman, said Renee Oistad, Anchorage Police Department spokeswoman.
Police started receiving calls about the fight at 11:13 p.m., Oistad said in a statement. Multiple people reported hearing a "physical altercation" between a man and woman inside an apartment in Anchorage's Government Hill neighborhood, she said.
As police walked toward the apartment complex, on the 900 block of Richardson Vista Road, a woman came outside. She had "visible non-life-threatening injuries," Oistad said.
"Injuries to the upper body created by physical force," Oistad said.
Police found Vandergriff in a hallway outside of the apartment.
"Vandergriff began to struggle when the officer began to put handcuffs on him," Oistad said. It took two officers to subdue Vandergriff, she said.
Police arrested Vandergriff and took him to the Anchorage Correctional Complex. A charge of second-degree assault was forwarded to the district attorney's office, Oistad said.
Oistad said alcohol and drugs were not factors in the reported fight.
Vandergriff did not respond to requests for comment Monday.
Vandergriff worked in the House Majority Press Office since 2006. He earned $8,896 per month, according to information from the Legislative Affairs Agency.
Chenault, his boss, said Vandergriff called him last week and alerted him of the arrest. Chenault said he then placed Vandergriff on administrative leave.
"I don't condone domestic violence of any type," Chenault said. "The case is in the judicial process and we'll see what the facts show."
Chenault said he could not say anything about the events that led up to Vandergriff's arrest.
Anchorage District Attorney Clint Campion said Monday that Vandergriff's bail was set at $1,500 and that bail was posted on June 13.
By Monday, no charging documents had been filed in court in Vandergriff's case. Campion said his office had not yet made a decision on the charges.
Vandergriff's next court appearance was scheduled for July 22 at 9 a.m.
Vandegriff's arrest, while the Legislature was in special session in Juneau, comes about a year after his counterpart in the Alaska Senate, majority press secretary Carolyn Kuckertz, faced charges of driving under the influence and assault. Police said she hit two women and drove away from the parking lot of the state Legislature's Anchorage office building during the extended legislative session held in Anchorage.
Kuckertz agreed to plead guilty to a felony count of assault.