WIS News 10 - Columbia, South Carolina | Sanford's spokesman arrested on criminal domestic violence charge

Sanford's spokesman arrested on criminal domestic violence charge

(Columbia) July 23, 2005 - Columbia police say a spokesman for Governor Mark Sanford has been arrested and charged with criminal domestic violence.

They say Will Folks kicked in a front door and shoved his 25-year-old fiance into a piece of furniture. A police report says it happened Friday at the Columbia home the couple shares.

The report states the fiance bruised her back after she was shoved, but did not want to prosecute Folks. Investigators say Folks' fiance drove to the police department to file a malicious injury report for the door, and police became suspicious.

The 31-year-old Folks was arrested and taken to the Alvin Glenn Detention Center. He's out on a personal recognizance bond.

Folks' parents, Dr. and Mrs. William Folks, issued the following statement: "Will voluntarily turned himself into the Columbia Police Department shortly before 5:00am on the morning of Saturday, July 23, 2005. He was released on a personal recognizance bond this afternoon and will be represented in this case by Columbia attorney Knox McMahon. Our son will plead not guilty.

We take very seriously the charge against our son but we are convinced that he is innocent of the charge. Will joins us in placing faith in God, and relying on our family and friends for support. Will's fiancé and her family, all of whom we love very, very much, remain in our family's thoughts and prayers."

Folks announced earlier this week he was leaving the governor's office to revive his political consulting company, Viewpolitik. Folks worked on Sanford's election campaign and briefly left the transition team to establish the company in 2002, then ended up returning to the governor's office.

Folks said he's looking for what he called a "less intrusive chapter" for his life.

Updated 11:05pm by Bryce Mursch with AP