Beaufort County legislative delegation liaison charged with assault
Beaufort County's liaison to the area's state legislative delegation was charged with third-degree assault and battery in Beaufort on Friday, but it was unclear what effect her arrest last week may have on her position.
Beaufort County deputy administrator Josh Gruber said it was county policy not to comment on personnel matters, but said the county was aware of Meredith Irion's Oct. 30 arrest and was discussing the matter with the legislative delegation.
Attempts Wednesday to reach delegation chairwoman and State Rep. Shannon Erickson, R-Beaufort, for comment were unsuccessful.
Irion, 36, was arrested by Beaufort police at the Kings Ridge townhomes complex where she lives after allegedly shoving and scratching the assault victim following an argument around 11:30 p.m. Oct. 30, Beaufort Police Department spokeswoman Cpl. Hope Able said.
Able said Irion argued with the victim over text messages the victim had sent to a third party. No one else was arrested in the incident, she said.
Irion was taken to the Beaufort County Detention Center after her arrest and released around 10 a.m. Saturday, according to the jail log.
Irion has worked as the legislative liaison for the Beaufort County delegation since October 2013, acting as the intermediary among the local legislators, the county, and the general public. Gruber declined to say if Irion was still reporting for work while her job status is discussed.
Around the time she was expected to take over the position from Christy Diller White, Irion was seriously wounded by a falling chainsaw in an accident at her Lady's Island home. A chainsaw being used by a friend to cut tree limbs kicked back and fell onto her right shoulder, cutting it down to the bone. She spent several days at Memorial University Medical Center in Savannah following the injury.
Follow reporter Matt McNab at twitter.com/IPBG_Matt.
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- Lady's Island woman recovering from chainsaw accident, Oct. 16, 2013
This story was originally published November 4, 2015 at 4:52 PM with the headline "Beaufort County legislative delegation liaison charged with assault."