BOISE, Idaho — Just a day after making his first court appearance on a misdemeanor charge of domestic battery, Middleton Mayor Darin Taylor says he is "taking a few days off" to work through the matter with his family.
"Recent events have been sobering and unexpected, and I apologize for the embarrassment," Taylor said in a statement posted on the city's website. "This is a stressful time for me, my family, and the community residents. I am confident we will be able to work through this together."
Taylor, who was elected mayor in 2011, was arrested Saturday night and booked into the Canyon County Jail. He appeared in court via video arraignment on Monday, and entered a not guilty plea.
According to Judge James A. (J.R.) Schiller, the charge stemmed from Taylor allegedly grabbing a family member by the arm or by her clothes the same day he was arrested.
Taylor posted the $2,000 bond after court on Monday. Schiller ordered him to have no contact with the victim in the case. He is due back in court for a pretrial hearing on April 25.
Here is Taylor's full statement:
The recent events have been sobering and unexpected, and I apologize for the embarrassment. This is a stressful time for me, my family, and the community residents. I am confident we will be able to work through this together. I owe it to my family to not discuss this in the press until the matter is resolved. Then, with the agreement of my family, I will make a statement about this very personal matter.
We have worked diligently every day to plan ahead, reduce traffic congesion, and build durable homes and businesses so residents' endeavors prosper. This great work benefitting all will continue. I am taking a few days off and request that communications with the city that would normally come to be directed to the City Administrator, Becky Crofts, bcrofts@middletoncity.com, 208-585-3133.
