Click the play button on the video window to the right to see the storyAn Arizona legislator appeared in court for the first time on Friday night.
Representative Mark DeSimone was arrested on misdemeanor charges after his wife called 9-1-1 Thursday night, according to Phoenix police.
DeSimone was arrested after police received the call from his home around 11:45 p.m.
When officers arrived, they saw a man walking away from the house
Inside the home was a woman with two small children.
Officers noticed that the woman had obviously been 'roughed up', according to officials.
The woman admitted to police there had been a disturbance between herself and the man outside the home.
She also said the man outside was her husband.
When officers talked to the man, he also admitted there had been a disturbance.
According to Sgt. Joel Tranter with the Phoenix Police Department, they learned a verbal argument escalated into a physical altercation after speaking to DeSimone's wife.
Tranter says DeSimone's wife was struck at least once and had cuts to the inside of her mouth.
Officers developed probable cause to make a domestic violence arrest.
DeSimone's wife did not want to press charges, but because a call was placed to 9-1-1 officers had to make an arrest.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office said the 45-year-old DeSimone was released from jail Firday night on his own recognizance.The Democrat has only been a lawmaker since 2007.
Representative DeSimone was just awarded the Freshman Legislator of the Year Award from the Arizona Chamber of Commerce.
He accepted the award on Wednesday.
His Republican colleagues offered their support.
"In the heat of whatever they were going through she made whatever decision she felt she needed to make. I'm not going to judge her for that. I'm not going to judge him for what he did or did not do," said Doug Clark, District 6 representative.
