AH, HOUSTON WE HAVE A PROBLEM-WHITNEY IS BEATEN BY BOBBY

Singer BOBBY BROWN boarded a plane to California after having a physical altercation with his wife, singer WHITNEY HOUSTON.

According to a href="http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1481036/20031210/houston_whitney.jhtml?headlines=true" target="_blank">Gil Kaufman of mtv.com, Fulton County Police arrived at the couple's home in Alpharetta, Georgia, at 8:30 p.m. on Sunday after Houston called to report a domestic dispute.

"Ms. Houston called and stated her address and asked for someone to be sent out, but did not identify herself," said Corporal Kurtis Young, spokesperson for the Fulton County Police Department. "She wasn't hysterical or anything, she was very calm."

When police arrived, Houston told officers that she and Brown had a verbal altercation that escalated into a physical confrontation, which ended with Brown hitting her on the left side of her face with an open hand. The officer who responded noted a bruise on Houston's cheek and a cut on the inside of her upper lip, Young said. Houston did not specify whether she struck Brown in response or what precipitated the incident.

Brown had boarded a flight for Los Angeles by the time police arrived and they are still trying to track him down to get his version of events. Police did not know if the West Coast trip was previously planned.

"Ms. Houston was very cooperative with her initial statement and she continues to cooperate in the investigation," Young said, noting that police filed a report, but that Houston has not filed charges. Because the incident is under investigation as an alleged act of domestic violence, officials could file charges against Brown whether or not Houston chooses to file charges herself, Young said.

Brown previously served seven days in DeKalb County Jail in August for a probation violation from a 1996 drunk-driving conviction.