Outspoken city Councillor Rob Ford has once again landed himself in hot water, this time as he faces assault charges stemming from an alleged domestic incident with his wife.

But the controversial councillor for Etobicoke North, who is no stranger to making headlines, was quick to protest his innocence yesterday after he was charged with assault and threatening death.

"I am going to fight this head on," Ford said, refusing to comment specifically on the allegations against him.

Toronto Police said Ford was taken into custody yesterday morning and processed at 22 Division.

"At 9:30 this morning, Rob Ford was arrested and charged with one count of assault and one count of threatening death," Const. Wendy Drummond said.

Ford was released from custody on a promise to appear and under the condition that he not return to the Etobicoke home he shares with his wife, Renata, and their kids, Douglas and Stephanie.

'SPURIOUS'

Ford's lawyer, Dennis Morris, was also adamant his client had done nothing wrong.

"We deny any assault occurred," Morris said. "These are spurious and unfortunate allegations."

He pointed out that the couple's children, aged 3 years and 6 months, remain in Ford's care -- a decision that Morris claims was made by CAS and police.

"It is very unusual for the charged party in allegations of violence to have the children," Morris said. "That in itself should say something."

He also suggested the officers who responded to the call had no choice but to arrest Ford, that "their hands were tied" because the threshold to lay charges in spousal complaints is low.

'HER OWN MOTIVES'

"It's virtually mandatory for police in a case of spousal allegations to make an arrest and let the courts decide," he said.

Renata could not be reached for comment.

"She has her own motives for what she did," Morris said of Ford's wife.

Ford, who was allowed to return home briefly last night with his kids to grab some belongings, said the charges will not affect his duties on city council.

"I will not be missing any work," he said. "I will be at council and doing my job."

The councillor has been under fire since remarks he made recently about "hard-working Oriental people," comments he said were meant to be complimentary but were deemed by some colleagues to be offensive.

Council will deal with a motion on Monday that, if passed, would force Ford to make a public apology.

"I haven't decided what to do," Ford said. "If I don't apologize, the council might vote to kick me out of the chambers and then I won't be able to put forward my motions on the budget. I don't want that to happen.

"I have apologized to all of those I offended but I really didn't mean anything by it and was just trying to praise the Asian people's work ethic."

It wouldn't be the first time Ford has apologized publicly.

In May 2006 he did just that after having "one too many beers" at a Toronto Maple Leafs game. Hockey fans seated near the councillor complained about Ford's obnoxious behaviour.

The councillor's family was also in the news after his sister Kathy Ford, then 45, was shot in the head in their childhood home on March 31, 2005.

BOYFRIEND SLAIN

She survived the shooting, which was later deemed to be accidental. Her boyfriend and another man were charged.

It wasn't the first time Ford's sister was touched by violence. In 1998 Kathy's ex-husband, Ennio Stirpe, used a sawed-off shotgun to kill Kathy's boyfriend, Michael Kiklas. Stirpe was later found guilty of manslaughter and sentenced to 13 years in prison.

The son of a former MPP, the late Doug Ford, Rob Ford runs a successful business and is often applauded for his penny-pinching ways with taxpayers' dollars. He volunteers with numerous charitable organizations and coaches high school football.

He is scheduled to appear at 2201 Finch Ave. W. courts on Apr. 28 at 2 p.m.

A spokesman from the mayor's office said David Miller is aware of the charges but he was not commenting.

City spokesman Brad Ross cautioned: "It's important to remember that everybody is innocent until proven guilty."

He said criminal charges would not force a councillor to give up his seat in council unless he was imprisoned.

"You have to be in jail and unable to perform your duties to lose your seat as a councillor," Ross said. "But we're far from that of course. (Ford has) only been charged; he hasn't been convicted of anything."