Domestic battery charge dismissed against La Salle County Board member

A domestic battery charge filed against a La Salle County Board member has been dismissed.

Beth Findley-Smith, 38, of Somonauk, was charged with the misdemeanor in August after an incident in Peru, during which she allegedly splashed an individual with a drink and slapped his face during an argument.

On Thursday, however, a special prosecutor – the La Salle County State’s Attorney’s Office had withdrawn from the case to avoid a conflict of interest – appeared in La Salle County Circuit Court and announced that the charge would be dismissed.

Findley-Smith and the special prosecutor, Bill Elward, both declined to comment after the brief hearing.

Findley-Smith, a Republican, was elected to the County Board in November 2022 to represent District 4.