Carver County commissioner charged with misdemeanor domestic assault

A member of Carver County's Board of Commissioners was charged Monday with misdemeanor domestic assault after he allegedly shoved a woman while outside a church.

Matthew Steven Udermann, 44, was charged Monday in Carver County District Court after being booked early Sunday evening into the Scott County jail for the alleged assault.

The incident took place a little before 10:30 a.m. Sunday outside Westwood Community Church, west of Chanhassen, according to a police citation. A 38-year-old woman married to Udermann had asked him where their child was, according to a prosecutor's request for a no-contact order.

Udermann said the child was in the car, and the woman opened the door. Udermann allegedly began driving the car in reverse while the door was open, the attorney for Chanhassen wrote.

Udermann got out of the car and grabbed the woman "with both hands and pushed her," the prosecutor wrote. The woman reported feeling "shaken" by the incident. A witness said the shove caused her to lose her balance and stumble backwards, the filing added.

The commissioner was given a conditional release from jail Monday afternoon, court records show. Conditions include having no contact with the alleged victim or visiting her house in Chaska.

Udermann's attorney did not return requests for comment Monday. In an email, Udermann did not comment on the incident and directed inquiries to his lawyer. He was first elected to the Carver County Board in 2020, according to his commissioner page.

Carver County Administrator David Hemze said the county "is aware of this concern and has no comment at this time."