Former Pevely Alderman Dave Bewig has been accused of intimidating and threatening a current alderman and his spouse during an aldermanic meeting last month.
Bewig vehemently denies the accusations.
It’s the latest skirmish between Pevely city officials and Bewig, who was impeached and removed from his Pevely aldermanic seat in December 2015.
City officials would not name the alderman Bewig allegedly threatened.
However, Bewig said Tuesday that his accusers are Ward 1 Alderman Larry Coulson and Coulson’s wife, Diane.
He also produced a copy of an April 16 Pevely Police Department report naming the Coulsons as complainants.
The complaint came to light at the start of Monday night’s Pevely Board of Aldermen meeting. After the Pledge of Allegiance, Alderman Steve Markus, also of Ward 1, said he wanted Bewig removed from the meeting for intimidating and threatening an alderman.
Then, Mayor Stephanie Haas said she, too, wanted Bewig removed and directed Pevely Police Department officers to escort him from the meeting room.
As police escorted Bewig out of City Hall, he protested, but complied.
The matter was not discussed during the rest of the meeting, but afterward Haas said she is taking the situation seriously. “We will not tolerate that type of behavior,” she said.
Haas would not comment further about the matter.
Pevely city attorney Sean Westhoff, who attended the meeting, said the allegations stem from an April 15 incident.
“It was during the meeting,” he said. “He (Bewig) made a comment to someone in the audience.”
On Tuesday, in a written statement, Westhoff said, “I have reviewed the (police) incident report and it indicates the report is going to the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office for further action.”
The police report described the incident as a “peace disturbance.”
According to the report, Coulson’s wife allegedly heard Bewig threaten her husband.
Larry Coulson told police that Bewig “has continued with a course of conduct over the past year” that is a “direct attempt to intimidate a city official.”
A police officer is quoted as saying Diane Coulson told him that Bewig had threatened her, too.
The report further states that Haas told Diane Coulson to file the police report.
According to the report, Bewig went to the Police Station on April 19 asking if rumors he had heard about an investigation into the April 15 incident were true.
On Tuesday, Bewig not only denied the Coulsons’ accusations but also said they are part of an ongoing vendetta city officials have against him.
“No, I did not do this,” Bewig said. “It’s made up.”
He said numerous law enforcement officers were in his vicinity during the April 15 hearing and he believes none of them have corroborated the Coulsons’ assertions.
Bewig said Pevely officials have had it in for him ever since the time of his impeachment.
“I’m just tired of being harassed,” Bewig said. “My rights have been violated through the impeachment.”
He said Haas told him not to return to any Pevely city meetings until notified by the city.
On Tuesday, Larry Coulson did not return a message for comment and Haas could not be reached for follow-up questions.