UPDATED: Judge Arrested In Vallejo

By Bay City News

Solano County Superior Court Judge Robert Bowers was arrested early this morning on suspicion of felony domestic violence against his wife in their Vallejo home, Vallejo police Sgt. Jeff Bassett said.

Bowers' wife reported the incident to police at 11 p.m. Sunday, and Bowers was arrested near his vehicle around 1 a.m., Bassett said.

Bowers was booked in Solano County Jail around 3:20 a.m., posted $25,000 bail and was released by 4 a.m., Solano County Sheriff's Lt. Gary Faulkner said.

Bowers is scheduled to be arraigned May 2 in Solano County Superior Court in Vallejo, Faulkner said.

Bassett said a weapon was not involved in the alleged assault. Bowers' wife suffered a "minor injury" but the incident "met the qualifications" of a felony assault, Bassett said.

"The judge disputes his wife's account of the incident," Bassett said.

Bowers was appointed to the bench in 2003 and is assigned to the Vallejo courthouse.

UPDATE 2:32 p.m. By Bay City News:

The attorney for a Solano County judge arrested Monday on
suspicion of assaulting his wife said this morning his client is "completely
innocent" and that Vallejo police "rushed to judgment."
          Solano County Superior Court Judge Robert Bowers' wife called
police at 11 p.m. Sunday to report the incident.
          Bowers was arrested about two hours later near his car at 321
Tuolumne St., close to Solano County Superior Court, where he presides in
Department 15.
          Attorney Dan Russo said Bowers never made physical contact with
his wife at the time she was injured.
          Russo said Bowers and his wife were building a deck at their
Vallejo home Sunday and that Bowers' wife "took a flop off the deck."
          "It's insane. He's completely innocent. This has been a
nightmare," Russo said.
          Vallejo police Sgt. Jeff Bassett said Bowers' wife suffered a
minor injury, but that the alleged assault "met the qualifications of a
felony" offense.
          Bowers was booked into jail at 3:22 a.m. Monday, but posted
$25,000 bail and was released by 4 a.m., Solano County sheriff's Lt. Gary
Faulkner said.
          He is scheduled to be arraigned on the felony domestic violence
charge on May 2 at the Vallejo courthouse.
          Russo said Bowers was not at work this morning.
          The Solano County District Attorney's Office is determining
whether the state Attorney General's Office will handle the prosecution.
          "It probably will be the attorney general, but I'm not clear they
are the appropriate agency," Russo said.
          "Once all the facts come out, he will be cleared. We're not
questioning the interpretation of what happened. He's completely not guilty,"
Russo said.
          Solano County District Attorney Don du Bain was not immediately
available for comment.
          Bowers was appointed to the bench in 2003.