Austin McCollum, a rising Republican figure in Arkansas politics, resigned from the state House of Representatives following accusations of domestic violence and sexual abuse made by his wife, Ragen Ashlee McCollum. The couple's four-year-old daughter and two-year-old son were featured in campaign materials that presented a family-man image, contrasting sharply with the allegations now detailed in court.
Ragen McCollum was granted a two-year order of protection against her husband on August 25, after filing for divorce on August 7. She accused Austin McCollum, 35, of violent behavior and sexual demands she found demeaning. According to her court filings, she resorted to smoking marijuana before sexual encounters to avoid flinching.
Court documents state that Ragen McCollum alleged her husband expected her to adhere to a strict "Proverbs 31" wife model, referencing a biblical passage. She detailed instances of alleged physical violence, including being punched, choked, and dragged by her hair. In one account, she claimed he slammed her face into a mattress with his knee, restricting her breathing, and later slammed her hand repeatedly in a door.
Another alleged incident involved Austin McCollum driving his car into his wife as she stepped out after an argument, with their children present in the vehicle. Ragen McCollum also claimed her husband offered to help her commit suicide when she was experiencing postpartum depression.
Austin McCollum has denied all allegations. He filed a countersuit accusing his wife of using marijuana in front of their children, calling it a "constant source of turmoil" in their marriage. Ragen McCollum has formally denied this claim.
McCollum, a former state representative from Bentonville, was arrested on August 1 on charges including aggravated assault and domestic abuse. He resigned from his legislative position on August 1, at the request of Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders. He is scheduled for arraignment on September 8. McCollum is currently running unopposed for Benton County justice of the peace.
The allegations surfaced after Ragen McCollum sought the order of protection, detailing what she described as a pattern of "indignities" that made their life together "intolerable." The couple's former $900,000 farmhouse is now in the process of being sold, with Austin McCollum having relocated to a new residence.
Ragen McCollum's petition for the order of protection, filed on August 6, outlined numerous alleged attacks, including one where she claimed he punched and choked her violently, resulting in "blood everywhere." She also stated he prevented her from leaving the bedroom and pushed her down stairs on separate occasions. She alleged he threatened retaliation if she spoke out, claiming he was "building a case" against her.
In his counterclaim, Austin McCollum requested a hair follicle test for Ragen to substantiate his claims of her drug use, which he described as prolific and coded. Her legal team maintains her marijuana use was occasional and did not endanger the children.
McCollum, a 35-year-old circuit judge, previously served as a state representative. His wife, Ragen, is employed as a fulfillment engineer at Walmart's headquarters. The couple has two young children, Eliza, 4, and Bankston, 2.