Cape police: Illinois union president hit woman in head with rock

A Tamms, Illinois, labor-union president faces domestic-assault charges after Cape Girardeau police said he hit a woman in the back of the head with a rock.

Matthew E. Smith, 32, is charged with second-degree domestic assault in connection with the case.

Smith is the president of the International Laborers' Union Local 773, headquartered in Marion, Illinois. He has served in that position for 12 years.

According to a probable-cause statement filed by police officer Jacob Carter, Smith and the victim were in downtown Cape Girardeau on Aug. 10 when they argued about whether Smith was involved with a female co-worker.

When the victim began walking west on Independence Street toward the Cape Girardeau police station, Smith picked up a rock, hit her in the back of the head and threw her phone into nearby bushes to keep her from calling for help, Carter wrote.

Federal-court security officers saw the woman staggering and in distress about 2 a.m. near Cape Girardeau city hall, which is next to the federal courthouse, Carter wrote.

When Carter arrived, the woman -- who he said was bleeding heavily from her head and in pain -- told her Smith likely was on his way back to Illinois, Carter wrote.

The victim said Smith previously assaulted her in November, causing a severe neck injury, Carter wrote.

Smith was charged with felony criminal trespassing, felony criminal damage to property and misdemeanor domestic assault in July 2014. He was sentenced to 18 months probation in June 2015 after pleading guilty to criminal damage to property, Union County, Illinois, court records show.

Union County state's attorney Tyler Edmonds is Smith's brother-in-law. Edmonds recused himself for the 2014 case because of the conflict of interest.

bkleine@semissourian.com

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Pertinent address: 401 Independence St., Cape Girardeau, MO