Councilman Cyron Marler’s wife has informed authorities that her husband did not try to run her over.
A charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon filed Oct. 9 has therefore been dropped.
“Mr. Marler’s wife has provided a written statement saying her husband was not trying to run over her and she was not in fear he was trying to strike her with a vehicle,” said Bill Bishop, Okaloosa County’s chief assistant state attorney.
Marler, who served on the City Council from 2000 to 2008 and was re-elected to another four years in office in 2012, called the arrest “a misunderstanding of what the events were.”
“It’s all unfounded. That’s pretty much all I’ve got to say, really,” he said Thursday.
Okaloosa County deputies responded to a reckless vehicle call at 7:27 a.m. on the day of the arrest and found what they called “acceleration marks” across the Marler’s driveway and yard.
The councilman told them he was trying to leave the residence but his wife was blocking him, according to reports, so he backed onto the lawn and drove around her.
The wife told deputies that she and Marler had argued.
She said she was standing in the yard when she heard Marler “gas it” and saw him drive towards her spinning the tires, causing her to have to “jump out of the way,” a report said.
With the latest written statement from the wife, any case against Marler could not go forward, Bishop said.
“That takes care of that,” he said.
Debby Marler, Cyron's wife, provided this statement to The Log Friday afternoon:
In September, I had neck reconstructive surgery. Just before my surgery, I was given a series of more than 8 steroid shots for chronic pain. After surgery, more steroids to prevent infection from surgery. This caused me to be wide awake for several nights at a time and I became irritable and having a terrible reaction to the medication. My husband was concerned and unhappy that I was not getting enough sleep.
When I came out of the house to move my car he was already able to maneuver his vehicle away from mine, which was blocking his. So, he went around me and my car and I believe his vehicle went a little far toward a ditch area where his tire blew from the concrete of the sidewalk where he was able to maneuver back onto the street out and away from the ditch area. He immediately turned back around and parked his vehicle.
My husband would never “run me over” in fact, he went around me. As I stated before, I was asked several times by deputies that morning if I was “in fear of my life” and my answer was always, “no!” My husband is a sweet, wonderful and kind man who puts others first and devotes much of his time to our community in whatever way he possibly can. We are both doing very well. We appreciate all the love, prayers, and support from our family and friends, and our wonderful community.