The Mayor of Mendenhall Mississippi, Steve Womack, was charged with assaulting a process server on February 2, 2012. Process Server Donald Rankin was attempting service of process of Steve Womack when Donald Rankin stated that the Mayor swore at him a assaulted him. The Mayor was arrested and charged with assault.
Mayor Womack said in response to the charges, “An individual came to my property beating on my windows and doors. I felt for the safety of myself and my children — the car was backed into my driveway with an Alabama license plate — I told him to leave. An altercation occurred. I filed charges immediately with Simpson County Justice Court. I am not guilty of any of these charges,”
Womack is scheduled to be appear in Court on March 15.
Once again this is a situation where the owner (Mayor) of the house should have just opened his door to receive the process but instead he attempted to avoid by faking that he was not home. I have a few questions for the Mayor, How else is a process server supposed to get someone to answer the door unless he knocks on the door? When you don’t answer and you know someone is home, in Missouri, it is your right to knock on windows and even go around the back of the house. Another question, why assault the process server after you figure out who he is? Why not just take the papers and go on your way. Assault is not the way to go and probably just lost you the Mayoral position which you now hold. Way to go Mayor Womack. This goes on the don’t shoot the messenger blog.