A candidate for Lexington’s 9th District Urban County Council seat was arrested Friday on a charge of second-degree assault, a Class C felony, according to Fayette County jail records. Matt Eugene Miniard, 69, was booked into the Fayette County Detention Center on Friday evening after Lexington Metro Police officers arrested him in the 100 Block of Burley Ave. The arresting officer was identified as Lopez-Cruz. No bond amount was listed, and an expected release date was not available as of Saturday. Under Kentucky law, second-degree assault involves intentionally causing serious physical injury, or causing physical injury with a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument. The charge carries a potential sentence of five to 10 years in prison. Miniard filed to challenge incumbent Whitney Elliott Baxter for the 9th District council seat in the May 19 primary. According to Fayette County Clerk records, he filed as a non-partisan candidate on Dec. 30, 2025. The arrest is the latest in a string of legal troubles for the perennial candidate, who has run unsuccessfully for multiple offices over the past decade. He lost bids for Lexington City Council At-Large in 2018 and 2022, and was defeated by state Sen. Reggie Thomas in the 2020 race for Senate District 13. Miniard was elected to the Fayette County Soil and Water Conservation District board in 2018 and won re-election in 2022, but the board voted to remove him in June 2023 after discovering he had never signed his oath of office. His removal came amid stalking charges involving a tenant and an interpersonal protection order obtained by a former fellow board member, Christopher Rowe, who alleged Miniard drove to his home and threatened to kill him. Court records show that in 2023 showed Miniard had previously served jail time for fourth-degree assault and terroristic threatening stemming from domestic incidents in 2012 and 2013. Miniard describes himself as a Lexington real estate appraiser, broker, builder and developer. It was unclear Saturday whether Miniard has retained an attorney in connection with the latest charge. He could not immediately be reached for comment. All suspects are presumed innocent until adjudicated guilty in court. The post Lexington council candidate arrested on felony assault charge appeared first on The Lexington Times. ...read more read less