Police in Urbana responded to two separate disturbances involving the same couple late Saturday night, resulting in charges against both individuals.
Officers were first dispatched at approximately 10:11 p.m. after a witness reported seeing a man shove a woman into a fence near Orale Tacos. The witness told police he observed the man forcefully push the woman before confronting him, at which point the man claimed the woman had struck him first.
Deputies located the pair in the 300 block of South Main Street and identified them as Shannon Spence and Jessica Smith. According to police, both individuals admitted to drinking and showed signs of intoxication.
Smith told officers the two had been out for dinner and were walking home when an argument escalated. She said she grabbed Spence’s face in an attempt to calm him down, and that he responded similarly. Spence, meanwhile, told officers that Smith struck him in the face first, and he only pushed her in response. Officers reported no visible injuries at the time.
Smith declined to pursue assault charges, and Spence was issued a summons for disorderly conduct before being released.
However, the situation escalated again less than two hours later.
At approximately 11:57 p.m., officers were dispatched to a residence on Park Avenue after Spence reported Smith had struck him in the head with a board game. When officers arrived, they observed visible redness on Spence’s head.
Spence told police Smith had returned to the residence and became upset, accusing him of taking her purse. He said an argument followed, during which Smith struck him. He also admitted to throwing some of her belongings outside during the dispute.
Officers later located Smith at a residence on Hovey Street. She denied intentionally striking Spence, claiming the two were arguing over the board game and suggesting the injury may have been exaggerated. Officers also determined Smith had driven from the residence despite being intoxicated.
When officers attempted to take Smith into custody, she initially refused commands before being placed in handcuffs.
Spence was charged with disorderly conduct and Smith was charged with persistent disorderly conduct.
