Chairman Penzel speaks out regarding Board of County Commissioners Altercation
The Thursday night Douglas County commissioners meeting began as usual, but ended amid sirens, confusions, and violence.
According to witnesses and the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, Chairman Barry Penzel and Commissioner John Engels began exchanging words in a heated debate regarding a new events center in South Lake Tahoe. At some point, the argument became physical, resulting in minor injuries.
Chairman Penzel released the following statement on Friday regarding his part in the altercation:
“As the Chairman of the Douglas County Board of County Commissioners, I would like to express that I regret the behavior which occurred during the Board of County Commissioners Meeting on May 16, 2019. This is not the way we wish to conduct business for the people of Douglas County. I am committed to working on settling our differences in a more appropriate manner in the future.”
This is a current open investigation and no further information will be provided at this time.
This case will be referred to the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office for review.