School board member faces assault charge after confrontation at home

A Knox County Board of Education member faces a felony assault charge after a confrontation with his wife at their home.

Knox County Sheriff's deputies filed the charge against Bill Phillips on December 26.

Phillips declined comment on the matter.

Reached for comment, his wife Karen said the incident was a misunderstanding, and she is trying to get the charge dropped.

Schools spokesman Russ Oaks said the matter was not in the superintendent's purview, and would instead be a matter for law enforcement and the school board itself.

Phillips was elected to represent District 8 on the school board last year without opposition.