Police investigate Councilman Baxter for battery

Okay, here is the story as of late Tuesday.

We'll follow with more detail tomorrow.

San Bernardino Police responded to a 6:33 p.m. disturbance call at 2nd Ward City Councilman Dennis Baxter's home in the 300 block of East 17th Street.

At the scene, they discovered Baxter and a 52-year-old woman. The woman initially accused Baxter of some level of misdemeanor battery, police said.

But the woman declined to press charges, so Baxter was not arrested. Had there been significant injuries, police could have arrested and charged the 58-year-old Baxter with a felony.

The extent of injuries, if there were any, is unknown.

"She didn't want him charged," the watch commander on duty said Tuesday.

The information police gathered will be forwarded to the District Attorney for review, police said.

Baxter works as a radio show host in addition to his council duties. Since taking office in 2005, Baxter has established himself as a steady, if quiet and unassuming, presence on the council.

His political decisions typically align him with Mayor Pat Morris and liberal councilmembers Rikke Van Johnson and Esther Estrada.