The domestic problems of Tom Welch and his wife, Alma, now seem to have spread to the couple's children.
Police were called to the Welch residence Monday afternoon by one of the couple's six children, following a verbal argument between an adult daughter and their mother.That followed the July 9 incident that led to a domestic battery charge against Tom Welch, president of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee. He was charged with the class B misdemeanor Monday in 3rd District Court, based on allegations he bruised and restrained his wife.
Salt Lake Police Lt. Phil Kirk said the two recent calls are not the first time authorities have been summoned to the Welchs' East Bench house. Police records show about 10 calls to the residence, about seven of which involved domestic problems.
Welch and his son were scheduled to fly home from Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday, after spending the last week or so hunting elephants in Botswana. But he's since changed their flight to Friday.
That will still get him back in Utah in time for next Wednesday's meeting of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee board of trustees, called to deal with "the recent publicity regarding SLOC's president."
Police responded Monday to a situation involving Lindsay Welch, 22, and her brother Christopher K. Welch, 18. The pair met detective Karen Gilbert at the door of their home, 3040 E. Sherwood Circle, about 12:30 p.m., according to a Salt Lake police report.
Lindsay Welch called police following a verbal argument between her and Alma Welch. She said their confrontation never escalated into violence.
Both children told the detective they have questions about the original case that led to criminal charges against their father. Alma Welch said the couple's confrontation about Tom Welch's alleged affair became physical and left her bruised. Tom Welch denied to police and through his attorney that any physical violence ever occurred.
Gilbert told them to contact the detective who investigated the original case on July 9 for answers about that incident, the report said.
They then asked Gilbert how the court process worked, which she explained to them. While she was answering questions about the court process, Gilbert said, Christopher Welch became verbally abusive toward "the police and me," the report states.
During their discussion, which took place on the front porch of the house, Alma Welch came outside and participated in the conversation, which at times angered her daughter, the report said.
Gilbert said both Lindsay and Christopher Welch were visibly upset when she arrived, and Lindsay "expressed anger that her mother was using the police to document her side of the problem."
The detective said she explained that her mother was not the one who called police, but her 11-year-old brother. She said the boy sounded worried and upset when he asked authorities to help, the report said.
At some point during the discussion, Christopher Welch grew so frustrated he left the porch and slammed the front door, the report said.
Lindsay Welch wanted to know whom she could talk to "about her mother's mental health and their family history." The officer suggested her father's lawyer, according to the report.
"Lindsay was angry at me for telling her mother she was a victim of domestic violence because that validated what her mother was telling them," Gilbert wrote.
Lindsay Welch said she was going to move out of the house and into a condominium in Park City where other family members are living. She said she would have no further contact with her mother, the report said.
Tom Welch's meeting with his Olympic bosses originally was going to be closed to all but the nine voting members of the SLOC board's executive committee.
Now, other trustees are invited to attend, although the 12:30 p.m. meeting in the 10th floor board room of the Olympic offices at 257 E. 200 South remains closed to the public.
SLOC Board Chairman Frank Joklik had wanted to restrict attendance at the meeting because of the sensitive nature of the discussion. But Thursday, Joklik said he changed his mind after hearing from other members of the board.
Joklik received a letter Wednesday from three board members who don't sit on the powerful executive committee, stating that "it is in the interest of fairness and within our responsibility" that they be included.
Members of the executive committee also include Salt Lake Mayor Deedee Corradini, Gov. Mike Leavitt or his representative, former Utah House Speaker Nolan Karras, and officials of the U.S. and International Olympic committees.
Others on the board, which has some 40 voting and non-voting members, include representatives of local governments, sports, business, the University of Utah and the Utah Sports Authority.
Whatever decision about Welch's future as president of the organizing committee is reached at Wednesday's meeting - if any - would have to be approved at a yet-to-be scheduled meeting of the full board.