UPDATE: A State Superior Court Judge denied the restraining order during the July 6th hearing. The temporary restraining order was also rescinded.
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LEMON GROVE, Calif (KGTV) -- A San Diego attorney said she’s afraid of a Lemon Grove City Councilman.
Dorinna Hirsch said she's so afraid she filed a Request for Restraining Order against Councilman David Arambula in California Superior Court.
Hirsch accused the councilman in her declaration of intimidation, theft, and threatening her repeatedly.
“He screamed that he would destroy my business and ‘mess me up’ if I crossed him,” wrote Hirsch in the document that was filed in May.
Arambula, a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, was elected to the Lemon Grove City Council in 2016. According to the document obtained by 10News, he also worked as a paralegal for attorney Hirsch for four years.
“It’s a serious matter,” explained Hirsch’s attorney Jennifer Irvine.
The restraining order request said Arambula’s harassment began in 2016 after Hirsch said she asked him to improve his work. Hirsch claimed that’s when Arambula tampered with legal documents, threatened to ruin her business via emails and through coworkers, and even stole $8,500.
Hirsch wrote in the declaration she reported the theft to the San Diego Police Department’s Economic Crimes Task Force. SDPD could not confirm an investigation but Irvine said police had interviewed witnesses.
"Ms. Hirsch is terrified of Mr. Arambula," said Irvine. "She feels he’s not going to stop. She’s fearful for her personal safety, as well as the integrity of her business."
Councilman Arambula did not respond to an email last week or two messages left Tuesday.
Lemon Grove City Manager Lydia Romero said the city would not comment on matters that don’t involve the city.
Irvine said Hirsch already has a temporary restraining order against Arambula.
Hirsch's request for a permanent restraining order claimed, "[Arambula] has told me he has a severe drinking problem due to some of the things he did to people while in military counter-intelligence…I was extremely frightened, disturbed, and intimidated by his level of intensity."
"If you read the allegations in Ms. Hirsch’s declaration," said Irvine. "I think any person would understand the full extent of Ms. Hirsch’s fear of Mr. Arambula."
A hearing for the restraining order request is scheduled for July 6th.
