Councilmember says she was assaulted by Raleigh mayor's husband

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Raleigh city council member said she is "shaken" after a hostile exchange with the husband of Raleigh Mayor Nancy McFarlane.

Councilwoman Kay Crowder told our newsgathering partners at the News & Observer: "The reports are true that I was verbally and physically assaulted ... I am still very shaken from the experience."

The incident happened Feb. 6 at a Dix Park community meeting.

Mayor McFarlane doesn't deny that her husband, Ron, got into some form of a disagreement with Crowder. She attributed her husband's behavior to stress.

Bob Edgerton witnessed the disagreement between Rob McFarlane and Crowder and told ABC11 he saw him "gripping and shaking her left shoulder as he yelled at her left ear."

Mayor McFarlane, who was not at the meeting because of surgery, said her husband and other council members were upset by Crowder's remarks during the Dix Park meeting and said: "He expressed to Council Member Crowder how upset he was in a way that I believe was too strongly worded ... Ron has reached out and made numerous attempts to apologize for his behavior."

Raleigh Police said no one reported the incident.

Mayor McFarlane said her husband was worked up because of her surgery and that she's sure Crowder understands that he was stressed and tired that night.

City council colleagues have declined to comment on this incident.

The mayor said she and Ron have known Crowder for 30 years. And she's sure they will put this behind them.