Beach councilman accused in assault

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (WAVY) - Virginia Beach City Councilman John Uhrin was arrested at his home late Saturday night, accused of assaulting his wife in their front yard.

Police were called to the 200 block of Indian Ave. around 11:10 p.m. for a domestic violence report, according to Grazia Moyers with the Virginia Beach Police Department. Officers reportedly found the victim driving down Terrace Avenue who told police she and Uhrin had been involved in a verbal argument.

"Through their investigation it was learned an assault took place and the suspect was taken into custody," Moyers said in a news release. No other information was released.

Neighbors who spoke to WAVY.com off camera say they heard a loud car horn sounding in Councilman Uhrin's driveway on the next street over, so they looked out the window to see what was going on.

The neighbors say they saw Uhrin's wife get out of her vehicle. Uhrin came at her, then she pushed him away and he came at her again. According to neighbors, Uhrin punched his wife at least three times in the head and in the side, before she fell to the ground.

He only stopped because they yelled for him to stop.

"What he said he saw is very incorrect, very incorrect," said David Whitehurst, Uhrin's neighbor and longtime friend.

Whitehurst said he heard the argument in the driveway, but did not see it.

"We heard a verbal argument going back and forth, which is nothing different than any married couple or anybody in a relationship has had before," he said.

Whitehurst says the Uhrins have assured him no domestic assault took place. Whitehurst says the neighbors who called police have had disagreements with the Uhrin family in the past.

"The only reason it was brought up is because he's a city councilman," said Whitehurst. "But anybody that's human, and everyone is human...it just was a verbal argument going back and forth. That's it."

We asked Whitehurst if the formal charges against the councilman change his mind about the Uhrin's argument, he said no. 

"I've been a friend of John Uhrin's for 20 years. He'd give you the shirt off his back if you needed it. He's not that kind of person," said Whitehurst. "And those charges are completely false. All that will come out in the wash."

Uhrin was arrested and charged with domestic assault. He was released on a personal recognizance bond, meaning he was released without having to post a monetary bond on the condition he return to court for his next appearance.

Stay with WAVY News 10 and WAVY.com for updates on this developing story.