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Judge Lance Mason, appearing here in a July 19, 2013 file photo, was arrested over the weekend in Shaker Heights.

(Chuck Crow/The Plain Dealer)

SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio — Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge and former state lawmaker Lance T. Mason punched and bit his wife, causing "serious physical harm," according to criminal charges he now faces in connection with his arrest Saturday.

The judge is charged with felonious assault in the incident involving Aisha Fraser Mason, his wife of eight years. Mrs. Mason's orbital bone was fractured, according to charging documents.

The victim was hospitalized following the attack that took place in both private and public, said Shaker Heights Chief Prosecutor C. Randolph Keller. She has since been released from the hospital.

Mason has been charged with second-degree felonious assault, which carries a penalty between two years and eight years in prison.

Judge Mason was arrested in Cleveland, where he lives with his wife, but the incident allegedly began in Shaker Heights.

The Shaker Police Department on Monday morning released copies of the 9-1-1 tapes related to the incident. Both recordings are similar in their content.

A woman called 9-1-1 about 12:12 p.m. Saturday and said she was exiting the rapid at Asby Road and Van Aken Boulevard when she saw two people fighting inside a burnt orange sport utility vehicle traveling along Van Aken.

The caller said the driver of SUV slammed on the brakes in the middle of the road. The caller described "fists flying" from one of the occupants inside the SUV. The vehicle swerved all over the road and nearly struck three other cars.

Keller held a press conference Monday morning, just minutes before Mason was scheduled to make his first appearance before a judge.

This came after two days of police officials' refusal to address numerous requests from the Northeast Ohio Media Group to confirm that Mason was sitting in the Shaker Heights jail.

Keller did not share many details over the incident.

Mason has a preliminary bond hearing in Shaker Heights Municipal Court on Monday morning. However, the case will likely be transferred to Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court once the felony charge is reviewed by a grand jury.

Keller said his office has been in touch with County Prosecutor Timothy J. McGinty's office.

Here is Northeast Ohio Media Group's original report, as filed at 10:34 a.m.:

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge Lance Mason is in jail after his weekend arrest on domestic violence accusations.

Shaker Heights officials, including members of the police department and the prosecutors office, had refused to share additional details of the now two-day old arrest. They issued a press release moments ago announcing the arrest, and scheduled an 11:15 a.m. Monday press conference - 15 minutes before Mason's first appearance before a judge.

Mason, a former state senator, has sat on the bench since his appointment by then-Gov. Ted Strickland in 2008.

Formal charges have not yet been filed. But a source said Mason could face felony charges.

Mason was arrested Saturday afternoon.

Mason's cell phone's voicemail was full and couldn't accept incoming messages.

A spokeswoman for Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Timothy McGinty declined to comment.

Mason's courtroom was locked and his docket cleared as of Monday morning. In a brief interview, Court Administrator Greg Popovich declined to comment.

"We don't have all the facts," Popovich said.

Northeast Ohio Media Group reporter Adam Ferrise contributed to this report