Official’s son suspected of battery

Costa Mesa Mayor Pro Tem Wendy Leece’s son is being held in lieu of $50,000 bail after his arrest Wednesday on suspicion of felony battery against his girlfriend and her son.

Stephen Leece, 28, from Costa Mesa, surrendered to police Wednesday afternoon, hours after police said he fled from his girlfriend’s house after attacking her and her son.

Attempts to reach Wendy Leece on Wednesday were unsuccessful.

Police were called about 12:20 a.m. Wednesday to the 100 block of East 16th Street, where authorities said Stephen Leece and his girlfriend had gotten into an argument.

The fight turned physical when Stephen Leece pushed the woman around the room and shoved her to the ground, according to police. Authorities said she was roughed up and had bruises on her arms.

When her 9-year-old son tried to intervene, Stephen Leece attacked him, Lt. Clay Epperson said. The boy was pushed and pulled around the room and had visible marks on his arms from the incident, he added.

“It was pretty violent,” Epperson said, although neither the son nor his mother were taken to the hospital.

When Stephen Leece’s girlfriend yelled for her son to call police, Stephen Leece fled, officials said.

Hours after the alleged incident, police looking for Stephen Leece got a phone number where they could reach him and called him, Epperson said. He agreed to meet with officers, and he was arrested without incident.