January 5, 2001 16:08

ICE TO PAY THE PRICE?

The rapper is apprehended after a complaint from his wife...

Rapper VANILLA ICE has been arrested following a complaint of domestic violence by his wife.

According to the Miami Herald newspaper, the rapper, who made his fame in the early '90s with the single 'Ice Ice Baby', has been released on US$3,500 bail following his arrest on Wednesday (January 3).

A police report claims that Ice, real name Robert Van Winkle covered his wife Laura's mouth to "shut her up" during a domestic dispute on a motorway in Davie, Florida.

When questioned by police, the report claims Ice admitted to pulling hair from her head, but defended his actions by alleging she was attempting to jump out of the window of their vehicle.

The rapper was taken to the local Broward County Jail for the night, and was released yesterday (January 4). Speaking about the incident on local television following his release, he said: "We had a heated argument. There's not much else to say, you know. That's about it. It's not that big a deal. I would never hit my wife or any girl or anything like that ... I love my wife, I love my kids, my life's fine, everything's good, no hitting, no drugs.''

Charges, if filed, will be done in the next 21 days by the state attorney's office.