Domestic charges filed against local legislator

Authorities will pursue prosecuting state Rep. Geoff Simpson, who was arrested on April 27 on charges of fourth-degree assault and interfering with reporting of domestic violence. The charges stem from an incident involving his former wife.

  • BY Wire Service
  • Monday, June 2, 2008 1:42pm
  • News

Authorities will pursue prosecuting state Rep. Geoff Simpson, who was arrested on April 27 on charges of fourth-degree assault and interfering with reporting of domestic violence. The charges stem from an incident involving his former wife.

Charges have been filed against Simpson, and a court hearing is scheduled for June 6 in Kent, according to Thomas Hargan, the city prosecutor for Covington, where the alleged offenses occurred.

“We’re still in the process of gathering information and verifying information on this case,” Hargan said.

King County Sheriff Department deputies arrested Simpson after being called April 27 to his home in Covington, where he was accused by his ex-wife, Kathy Simpson, of grabbing her by the wrist and arm. According to the deputies’ incident report, she was holding onto tax documents for the pair and they were arguing over them. She had gone to her former husband’s home to retrieve some belongings when the argument began.

The couple’s divorce was finalized in late April, according to court documents.

According to the deputies’ report, Kathy Simpson alleged that her ex-husband grabbed her right arm and squeezed, and that when she reached for the tax documents she had dropped, Simpson allegedly grabbed her arm again and hurt her.

When giving a statement to deputies, Simpson, who also is a firefighter for the Kent Fire Department, denied that he injured his ex-wife during the alleged altercation.

A witness said he saw Simpson trying to pull Kathy Simpson “out of the house” and told Simpson “to stop, which he did,” deputies wrote in the report.

In a statement sent after the incident by a representative of Seattle-based public relations firm Moxie Media, Simpson said he’s “confident that once the facts come to light I will be exonerated. I believe in our justice system and will continue to cooperate fully as this situation is resolved.”

He said that as a legislator, he is “strongly in support of erring on the side of protecting potential victims with our laws and their enforcement – even when, in situations like mine, it can result in unwarranted charges.”

After the incident, Simpson was placed on administrative leave by the Kent Fire Department pending the results of an internal investigation. He’s been a firefighter for the department since 1990.

Simpson, a Democrat, has been involved in local politics for many years. A former Covington City Councilman, he has represented the 47th District in the Legislature since 2000 and is up for re-election this fall, but hasn’t announced if he’ll run. The official candidate filing period is June 2-6.

At least two other people have said they’ll run for Simpson’s position. Mark Hargrove, a Republican who also lives in Covington, announced his candidacy in February. Leslie Hamada, a Democrat, said May 19 that she’ll enter the race.

Staff writer Kris Hill can be reached at 425-432-1209, ext. 5054, or by e-mail: khill@reporternewspapers.com


Talk to us

Please share your story tips by emailing editor@kentreporter.com.

To share your opinion for publication, submit a letter through our website https://www.kentreporter.com/submit-letter/. Include your name, address and daytime phone number. (We’ll only publish your name and hometown.) Please keep letters to 300 words or less.

More in News

File photo
Man sentenced in Federal Way rock throwing death

Judi Kilma retrieved a fist-sized rock after a man punctured one of the tires on Kilma’s bicycle.

t
Kent Police Blotter: March 11-25

Incidents include commercial burglary, DUI arrest

Flowers for slain trooper Chris Gadd begin to collect outside Washington State Patrol District 7 Headquarters on Saturday, March 2 in Marysville. (Ryan Berry / Sound Publishing)
Lynnwood man pleads not guilty in crash that killed WSP trooper

Raul Benitez Santana arraigned Tuesday on vehicular homicide charge in Trooper Chris Gadd’s death.

Captain Ron Mead and Corporal Alexis Robinson embrace during a memorial for Washington State Patrol trooper Chris Gadd on Tuesday, March 12 at Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / Sound Publishing)
Man was reportedly driving 112 mph before crashing into Trooper Gadd

Charging documents reveal details of March 2 crash that killed Kentlake High graduate

t
Kent apartment shooting injures man, woman on East Hill

Incident began Sunday, March 24 as domestic dispute; woman’s brother gets involved and shots are fired

Chase Wilcoxson, father to Matilda, 13, and Eloise,12, places a family photo at the roadside memorial dedicated to his daughters, Buster Brown, 12, and Andrea Hudson, 38. Photo by Bailey Jo Josie/Sound Publishing.
Families forgive Kent suspect involved in fatal crash near Renton

High-speed collision March 19 killed four; families of victims call to make the roads safer

t
Kent mayor plans to keep fighting for sales tax to hire more police

State of the City address also touches on new restaurants, roundabouts and walking paths

t
Crews to begin work on $13.8 million final phase of 76th Avenue upgrade

Street to be raised above Mill Creek floodplain, paved with concrete; bridges to replace culverts

t
Smoke alarms help Kent family of five escape house fire

Firefighters rescue one male from roof in March 19 fire on East Hill

File photo
Victims identified in ‘mass casualty’ collision that killed four near Renton | Update

Detectives say the collision was caused by an 18-year-old driver.

t
Semi-truck rollover blocks Green River Bridge in Auburn

Traffic had to be diverted from State Route 18; heavy impact on Kent streets

t
Seattle church’s donation to cover asylum seekers bill at Kent hotel

Group to remain at Kent Quality Inn for two more weeks