Wheaton council candidate charged with domestic battery

A downtown Wheaton business owner and candidate for city council was charged with domestic battery last week after police say he struck his teenage daughter with a belt.

Derek Bromstead, 42, of 8 Mitchell Circle, was taken into custody about 8:30 a.m. Feb. 1 and released after posting $1,500 bond.

As a condition of the bond, Bromstead was told to have no contact with his daughter for three days and no “harmful or offensive” contact after that.

Bromstead said his attorney advised him not to comment on the charges for now but Bromstead said he would address them when he is advised to.

He also said he has not yet decided whether he’ll continue his run for city council.

“Right now, I’m only thinking about the well-being of all of my family members, who I love very much,” he said. “I am asking for the public’s patience, understanding and prayer for my family during this difficult personal matter.”

Bromstead owns Genghis Grill and serves as president of the Downtown Wheaton Association.

He is next due in court at 8:30 a.m. Feb. 14.

Bromstead is in a five-way race for two available 4-year terms on the council. Also running in the April 5 election are Alberta Adamson, Evelyn Pacino Sanguinetti, Bob Molenhouse and Jeanne Ives.