Reporter Allegedly Assaulted

A four state Mayor is charged with battery after being accused of allegedly assaulting a television reporter. Deputies served Columbus, Kansas Mayor Bill Schaiff a summons to appear in court later this month after he allegedly assaulted a reporter yesterday afternoon. The reporter and a photographer were attempting to shoot video inside the empty city council chambers when the incident happened. Cherokee County officials filed the charges against Columbus Mayor Bill Schaiff today. The charges states that Schaiff willfully and intentionally caused physical contact to another person in a rude, insulting or angry manner. After the incident happened yesterday, Schaiff was immediately arrested and taken into custody. Officials say the events after the arrest made everyone involved evaluate how to handle situations like this in the future. "It turned into a trial on the actual events that happened. No need for it. We needed to stop, regroup, collect evidence, and get charges filed. That`s what we needed to work on instead of arguing whether or not he should have been arrested," said Joanna Derfelt, Kansas Cherokee County Attorney. After posting the 5-hundred dollar Bond, Schaiff was released. The battery charges a class B misdemeanor were filed today shortly after noon. Schaiff will appear in court on January 21. The reporter involved in the incident was not seriously injured. Reported By: Ryan Loyd