Braxton facing assault charge
By Staff Reports
Published in News on November 15, 2010 1:46 PM
KINSTON -- State Rep. Van Braxton has been charged with simple assault and communicating threats by a Lenoir County man with whom he had a confrontation over a campaign sign.
Ray Wiley, 50, of Falling Creek Road filed charges against Braxton on Friday. He claims Braxton, 56, shoved him during an argument over a Braxton sign in Wiley's yard that had been defaced.
Braxton's wife had tried to retrieve the sign on Election Day but was refused access by Wiley. Mrs. Braxton said Wiley used abusive language.
Braxton returned Nov. 4 with another man and again tried to retrieve the sign. An argument ensued and Wiley told authorities that Braxton pushed him. Braxton said he did not lay a hand on Wiley and that Wiley was again verbally abusive. He said he went to Wiley's property because of the way Wiley had behaved toward his wife.
"He came out on his driveway berating us with obscenities; I told him to come in the street and say that," Braxton told a television station.
Wiley did not file any charges against the man who was with Braxton. He has not been identified.
The Lenoir County Sheriff's Office has interviewed the parties involved, including the man who accompanied Braxton and two of Wiley's neighbors who who said they saw Braxton shove him.
Braxton lost a re-election bid for the 10th District seat in the state House to Republican Stephen LaRoque, who had held the seat for two terms prior to Braxton.
The district includes most of Lenoir County, all of Greene County and the southeastern section of Wayne County.