Yolanda Jones

The Commercial Appeal

Memphis wrestling icon Jerry "The King" Lawler and his fiancee were arrested on domestic violence charges.

Lawler, 66, and Lauryn McBride, 27, have been charged with domestic assault after an incident Thursday night at Lawler's East Memphis home.

Police said they responded to a 911 hangup call at a home in the 400 block of St. Nick Drive.

According to an arrest affidavit, when police arrived McBride told officers that she and Lawler, who she has lived with for five years, got into an argument that turned violent.

McBride alleged that Lawler held her against the kitchen counter and then hit her on the left side of her head and pushed her against the stove, according to the affidavit.

She alleged that Lawler went upstairs and retrieved an unloaded pistol that he put on the kitchen counter and told her to "go ahead and kill yourself."

Lawler told police that he and McBride argued over her lying about where she had been. He told officers that the argument turned violent when McBride allegedly scratched him on his face, threw a candle at him and kicked him in the groin.

He said that McBride was intoxicated and alleged that she was the one who brought the pistol in the kitchen after getting it out of his garage.

Lawler told police that McBride was intoxicated and he was trying to stop her from leaving in her vehicle.

Both Lawler and McBride were arrested after police were unable to determine which one was the primary aggressor.

They were taken to the Regional Medical Center before they were booked in jail early Friday morning.

Both will be in court Monday. No bond has been set.

Lawler was also arrested in 1999 when he was running for Memphis mayor.

The 1999 arrest stemmed from an incident at Memphis International Airport. A parking enforcement officer claimed Lawler ran over her foot as he drove away from her in his van after an argument over a parking ticket.

Lawler denied he ran over the officer's foot. He was indicted on the reckless endangerment charge. He pleaded guilty to the charge and paid a $25 fine.

A native Memphian, Lawler, a wrestling commentator with WWE and a professional wrestler, recently opened Hall of Fame Bar & Grille on Beale Street.

Lawler has been suspended indefinitely by WWE.