A Denver police officer and his wife who were involved in a drunken brawl involving another Denver cop and his wife both pleaded not guilty to charges in Arapahoe County court Tuesday afternoon.
Officer Jeremy Ownbey, 42, has been charged with second-degree trespass and two counts of child abuse. His wife, Jamie Ownbey, 32, has been charged with third-degree assault and two counts of child abuse.
On Tuesday, prosecutors added a charge of driving under the influence of alcohol against Jeremy Ownbey.
A judge set a Nov. 12 trial date of Jamie Ownbey, and her husband’s next court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 22.
The Ownbeys are accused of getting into a fight May 19 at the Aurora home of Denver detective Steven Sloan and his wife, Stephanie Sloan.
The two couples denied to Aurora police investigators that swinging caused the fight, according to a police report.
Jamie Ownbey admitted that she, her husband and Steven Sloan had participated in past “swing sessions,” but her sexual interest in Stephanie Sloan did not lead to the fight, the police report said.
According to the report, Jamie Ownbey became increasingly obnoxious while drinking and the Sloans asked their friends to leave.
On the way to the door, Jamie Ownbey allegedly hit Stephanie Sloan. Steve Sloan then struck Jamie Ownbey, which led Jeremy Ownbey to begin fighting his fellow police officer, the report said.
At one point, Steven Sloan pulled a gun, and the Ownbeys left, the police report said.
Jeremy Ownbey later returned to the Sloans’ house to talk to Aurora police. They drove him home, where they found minor children alone and asleep, the report said.
Ownbey has been placed on a non-line assignment, said Denver police spokesman Sonny Jackson. Sloan is working as a detective.
An internal-affairs investigation into the incident is ongoing, Jackson said.
The incident also led to an internal-affairs investigation at the Aurora Police Department because officers did not give Jeremy Ownbey a sobriety test even though they suspected he had been drinking before he drove back to the Sloans’ house.
That investigation is ongoing, said Sgt. Chris Amsler, an Aurora police spokesman.
Noelle Phillips: 303-954-1661, nphillips@denverpost.com or twitter.com/Noelle_Phillips