East Wenatchee City Councilman Resigns Following Arrest for Assault

East Wenatchee City Councilmember Robert Tidd resigned Tuesday night following his arrest in a domestic violence incident involving his younger brother.

According to a police report and RiverCom dispatch logs, East Wenatchee police responded around 3 p.m. Thursday, May 1, to a domestic disturbance in the 400 block of 19th Street Northeast.

What The Police Report Says

The report states that Tidd’s brother, Scott, told officers he had gone to their mother’s former residence to remove refrigerators. Robert Tidd reportedly arrived around the same time, saying he was there to pay HOA fees and had gone next door to do so.

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Scott went to the residence to retrieve a refrigerator, which was blocked by a truck. Scott asked Robert if he could move the truck. Robert asked why, and Scott said to talk to their mother about it.

The situation escalated when Robert allegedly became upset and charged at Scott, who ran inside the residence and tried to shut the door leading from the garage. According to the report, Robert pushed the door open, hitting Scott and pushing him into a wall, causing minor lacerations.

Police say Robert then came up behind Scott and placed both hands around his neck in a surrounding motion. The physical struggle forced Scott against a stair railing, his body leaning over it, with his head extended toward the stairs below.

Scott told police he feared Robert was going to push him over the edge but clarified that Robert did not squeeze his neck hard enough to restrict his breathing or vision. He described the neck contact as a "control point." Scott then told his wife to call police because he feared for his safety.

Scott’s wife confirmed his account to officers. Robert denied putting his hands around Scott’s neck, describing the incident instead as a “bear hug.”

Police arrested Tidd and booked him in Chelan County Regional Justice Center on suspicion of fourth-degree assault — domestic violence, a gross misdemeanor.

Tidd Resigns Citing Poor Decisions by Councilmembers

At the conclusion of Tuesday’s City Council meeting, Tidd resigned, citing what he described as a lack of transparency in the mayor’s office and poor decisions by fellow councilmembers.

“As the only unpaid elected official in East Wenatchee, I truly hope that you'll be able to find solutions to fix the city's deficit budget without imposing additional taxes on taxpayers of East Wenatchee,” he said.

Mayor Jerrilea Crawford thanked Tidd for his service, noting his work with Link Transit, the East Wenatchee Events Board, and the city’s American Rescue Plan committee.

In a statement issued to KPQ, Mayor Crawford said, "I understand there was a law enforcement encounter with Councilmember Rob Tidd [earlier this month]. Because that was a personal matter and it still in the process of legal procedures, I don’t feel it is appropriate to comment on specifics. Since that incident, Rob Tidd has resigned from his position of East Wenatchee City Council, position 3, and he no longer represents East Wenatchee as an elected official."

KPQ attempted to contact Tidd for comment but did not receive a response by the time of publication. He will make his initial appearance 9 a.m. Wednesday, May 14 in East Wenatchee Municipal Court.