Newly elected City Council member-to-be Matthew Scott Bechtel Sr. was arrested and jailed late Thursday evening, Nov. 12, after allegedly punching family members.
According to Sweet Home police, who stated that they could provide limited details because the incident involved ch
ildren, Bechtel, 50, was lodged in Linn County Jail on a charge of felony fourth-degree domestic assault and a misdemeanor count of fourth-degree assault.
According to SHPD, officers responded about 10:56 p.m. to Bechtel’s residence, at 108 Holley Road, to a 9-1-1 report of a physical disturbance.
An investigation, including interviews with family members and witnesses, determined that Bechtel had been drinking and had become “aggressive” with family members and had punched a child under 15 years of age.
Then, when his wife, Deena Palmtag, 41, tried to intervene, he allegedly punched her, too, police said.
According to witness statements, further fighting occurred before the parties separated, police said.
According to SHPD, the felony count related to the alleged assault on his wife and the misdemeanor count related to allegedly punching the child.
Court records filed Friday, Nov. 13, added the consideration that the alleged assault occurred in the presence of, and was witnessed by, a child.
Bechtel, a U.S. Army veteran who has lived in Sweet Home for six years, led four candidates for the Sweet Home City Council in the most recent vote count, from Nov. 10, with 1,901 votes. He is also very active in a variety of community activities, and has been a regular participant in a wide variety of public events.