Marisa Simonetti, a candidate for Hennepin County commissioner in the west metro, spent the weekend in jail on an assault allegation from someone who lived with her in Edina.
Simonetti, 30, was booked into the Hennepin County jail late Friday afternoon and appeared in court Monday to answer to a misdemeanor count of fifth-degree assault. She was released Monday morning without bail but under the condition that she not have contact with her accuser.
Simonetti is the Republican candidate for Hennepin County Board in District 6, which covers cities including Edina, Hopkins, Mound, Minnetonka, Wayzata, Long Lake, Shorewood and the northern portion of Eden Prairie. She said Monday she is not dropping out of the race.
Simonetti told the Star Tribune on Monday that the alleged victim, Jacklyn Vasquez, had been renting space from her in an Airbnb on the property where Simonetti lives; Vasquez confirmed this in a separate interview. They had been at odds over two days last week before their conflict came to a head, said Simonetti, who denied harming Vasquez in anyway.
Simonetti said “there had been some red flags” that made her uncomfortable. Vasquez yelled at her, she said, and closed a door on her arm. Simonetti said she called police on both days, but they said Vasquez could not be forced to leave.
Vasquez told the Star Tribune said she was not physically harmed but has been “emotionally and mentally” injured.
“What she did is deeply disturbing and deeply distressing,” said Vasquez, 30, who said she had been living in the Airbnb unit since June 3 but has now moved into a hotel. “It was right out of a scary movie.”
Vasquez said Simonetti accused her of being a squatter who was refusing to move out, an allegation that Vasquez denied.
