knoxnews.com

A Farragut martial arts instructor who has sued the Loudon County Sheriff's Office over his arrest for allegedly supplying alcohol to a teenage party in 2007 was arrested New Year's Day on Gasparilla Island, Fla., and charged in connection with an altercation with his wife.

Jack Butturini, 49, was charged with simple battery, according to Charlotte County, Fla., police reports and court records.

Katharine Butturini, 50, told police that her husband had been drinking and had shoved her to the ground and choked her. The report states that witnesses to the incident support her account, and that there were bite marks on her tongue.

The Butturinis currently have divorce proceedings pending in Knox County's 4th Circuit Court.

In 2007, they were arrested and charged with providing alcohol to minors at a party for their daughter at a waterfront Loudon County home. Police broke up the party.

They were placed on a pretrial diversion program in which the charges were eventually dropped.

The couple filed a $7.5 million lawsuit against the Loudon County Sheriff's Department, claiming that the arrests were unjustified and created publicity that ruined their karate school business.