Ex-housing leader, accused of hitting woman, faces new felony charge

A prosecutor said Tuesday that he filed a new felony charge against the former director of Southern Nevada’s housing authority accused of punching a woman who appeared bruised and bloodied when met by police.

North Las Vegas Chief Judge Kalani Hoo postponed a preliminary hearing for Chad Williams, after his attorney, Adam Solinger, asked to review the new count of battery resulting in substantial bodily harm.

Deputy District Attorney James Puccinelli said he added the charge after speaking to the alleged victim.

A preliminary hearing on the charges Williams faces, including felony coercion domestic violence with use of force and misdemeanor domestic battery, was rescheduled for Aug. 8.

Williams pleaded not guilty earlier this year to the original felony and misdemeanor charges he faces. He was arrested Jan. 1 at his condominium in North Las Vegas, where police met the woman and viewed bruises and dried blood on her face.

The woman told police he threw her on the ground and kicked her ribs and face on New Year’s Day.

Williams oversaw the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority from 2018 to 2021 but was placed on administrative leave in August 2020 in the wake of mistreatment complaints brought by two women who were paid more than $125,000 by the authority to settle their grievances.

Contact Jeff Burbank at jburbank@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0382. Follow him @JeffBurbank2 on Twitter.