Detroit Pastor Facing Domestic Abuse Charges
DETROIT (WWJ) - A well-known Detroit minister is facing a domestic abuse charge... that appears to be connected to a nasty divorce.
Rev. Horace Sheffield III was arraigned Thursday morning after his estranged wife filed a police report last month claiming abuse.
"The wife alleges that there was an argument. She was attempting to dial 911, at which point the reverend snatched the phone out of her hand," says Detroit Police Sgt. Michael Woody.
Sgt. Woody says Sheffield has cooperated fully with authorities. Sheffield has been arraigned on a domestic violence assault and battery charge and also preventing a crime report charge -- both misdemeanors. Sheffield and his wife are going through what his attorney describes as a "war of the roses" type divorce.
"This man is 60 years-old and been nothing but a pillar of strength in our community. And because of a vindictive, scorned ex-wife he's being brought down and treated like a common criminal. And we're going to be able to prove that she's lying," says Allison Folmar who represents Rev. Sheffield.
WWJ has been working to get a response from DiAnna Solomon.
Meantime, Folmar says, "My client is not guilty. He never snatched a cell phone out of his estranged wife's hand and this is nothing more than another one of her lies, just to further her agenda to ruin his name and his reputation in the community."
Sheffield is due back in court next week.