Smyrna's Election Season Turns Violent

Smyrna City Council candidate provided Patch with a description of the man who assaulted his wife Monday night when she encountered him removing one of her husband’s campaign signs.

“He was a white male, late 20s to early 30s, 5-feet-10 to 6-feet tall and 185-to-190 pounds,’’ Yankouski said of the alleged attacker who twice punched his wife Pat to the left side of her face.

The incident was just the latest in series of ugly incidents involving his campaign signs. Last Wednesday, Yankouski, one of four candidates vying for the Ward 7 council seat being vacated by Charles Pete Wood, detailed to Patch howwith orange spray paint. A couple of days later, four of his signs were “destroyed’’ by a “circular or cordless saw.’’

And then came Monday night. Yankouski said that signs have been consistently damaged at three locations: near the Cash Farms neighborhood off Cooper Lake Road; at the corner of Copper Lake and the East-West Connector; and at the Fountain Road/E-W Connector intersection. After witnessing nothing during an earlier evening stakeout, Yankouski told his wife that it was a “bad idea’’ for her to go out again late Monday night.

But she insisted and it was near Cash Farms where she encountered a man with “sign in hand,’’ according to Yankouski. The candidate told Patch that his wife pulled in front of the man’s parked vehicle and asked the man what he was doing. He then approached her car, “dropped the sign and two times punched her in the head and then ran back to the truck.’’

An assault report was filed by the couple with Cobb County police. Pat Yankouski said the vehicle being driven by the man who hit her was a large, dark-colored pickup or SUV.

“This just goes beyond words, it’s horrendous,’’ said the candidate, who indicated his wife has a large bruise on her face from her cheekbone to her mouth. “I just don’t see any purpose in this. This violent reaction goes beyond words. I’ve never seen anything like this.’’

One of Yankouski’s opponents, , told Patch through an email, “I categorically denounce every negative act like this one. This is not the Smyrna, the positive Smyrna, I have known.’’ and are also seeking the Ward 7 seat.

Yankouski reiterated to Patch Tuesday night that despite the attack, he was not bowing out of the race. He also said that on Tuesday, his sign near Cooper Lake and the E-W Connector has “No more signs’’ spray-painted on it in black.

When asked by Patch as to why he thinks he is being targeted, Yankouski surmised that it was because he was “in the lead.’’ Yankouski said that he has hired an independent consulting firm, Linton Consulting, to conduct phone polls with Ward 7 voters. According to Yankouski, the phone surveys have shown him with the advantage in the four-man race. Patch is still awaiting a return message from a Linton Consulting representative.

“I have lived here 25, 26 years in Smyrna and for 35 years in Cobb county,’’ said Yankouski, who seven years ago ran unsuccessfully against Rich Golick for the Georgia House District 34 seat. “People know me; I am not a newcomer. And I am not going to be intimidated.’’