A Martinez woman and official for the Columbia County Republican Committee is accused of throwing a cup of coffee at former County Commissioner Dewey Galeas.
Linda Gleason Parnell, 67, was arrested Saturday for simple battery.
Columbia County deputies were called to Stevens Creek Church for a battery. On scene, the former Columbia County District 4 Commissioner told deputies that he had been at a table talking to attendees at an event sponsored by the Columbia County Republican Committee. He said Parnell walked up to him and began shouting at him to hurry up. When the man told Parnell he had things handled, she told him to shut up multiple times.
About 15 minutes later, the man went to leave the table and Parnell came up to him and tossed lukewarm coffee on his chest and face, a sheriff’s report says.
Parnell claimed she tripped and said, “It’s on video.” Parnell left the event afterwards, offering no apology or help in cleaning up the mess.
The man told deputies he has known Parnell for about a decade and that they have not gotten along in recent years.
Deputies reviewed the security footage which showed Parnell throwing the coffee underhand.
When deputies found Parnell at home, she told deputies the coffee spill was accidental. She also told deputies that she and the man did not get along and that she had campaigned against him in the past.
As she was being arrested, Parnell said of the coffee toss “it looked like an accident,” then added, “well, it was an accident.”
