Democratic state Rep. Daniel Patterson of Tucson has been charged with four misdemeanor counts of domestic violence in relation to disputes with his girlfriend.
Patterson could not be reached for comment Thursday but his attorney, Joe St. Louis, says Patterson is innocent and plans to claim legislative immunity.
Patterson, 41, was charged with one count of domestic violence assault; one count of domestic violence disorderly conduct; one count of false imprisonment; and one count of domestic violence harassment, said Assistant City Prosecutor M.J. Raciti. The charges stem from two incidents, St. Louis said, but details were not available.
St. Louis said the woman making the allegations, Georgette Escobar, is not a credible witness.
Escobar, 41, has been in La Paz County jail in western Arizona since Tuesday on one charge of possession of dangerous drugs and one charge of possession of drug paraphernalia, jail officials confirmed.
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"The lady bringing these charges is someone whose life has spun out of control," said St. Louis.
A pretrial hearing is scheduled for Patterson on March 15, Raciti said.
Late week, the head of the state Democratic Party and the top House Democrat called for Patterson to step down because of the allegations.
Patterson said at the time that he's not going anywhere. He called the comments by his party's leaders "cutthroat politics," and accused them of having a "lynching mob mentality," more interested in the Democratic political agenda than whether he is innocent.
St. Louis said the charges don't change Patterson's refusal to step down. Patterson did not commit any crime of domestic violence, St. Louis said.
"We are surprised and disappointed that the city attorney has brought these charges," said St. Louis, adding that he expects them to be dismissed or for Patterson to be found not guilty.
The House Ethics Committee has an active investigation of Patterson, and the new charges are certainly relevant to that, said Rep. Ted Vogt, R-Tucson. The committee is determining the proper procedures to follow and hopes to take action sooner rather than later, Vogt said.
"It would be improper to comment more, especially right now," Vogt said.
Rep. Katie Hobbs, D-Phoenix, filed a complaint with the House Ethics Committee asking for an investigation, citing allegations made by Escobar in seeking - and getting - an order of protection against Patterson.
The Ethics Committee complaint, signed by all the other House Democrats except for two who sit on the committee, says this incident, if true, would "appear to be part of a pattern of inappropriate conduct." It also cites an order of protection Patterson's ex-wife obtained against him during their divorce in 2010.
The Ethics Committee is empowered to investigate violations of state law as well as any conduct that violates the public trust or adversely reflects on the House. If the panel finds Patterson guilty, it can recommend the full House impose penalties ranging from a reprimand to expulsion.
Last week, Patterson acknowledged there was a dispute between him and his girlfriend that resulted in him kicking her out of his house. But he said Escobar acted irrationally and, because the house is his, he had a right to kick her out.
In her request for the protective order, Escobar says Patterson took her keys and her dog and locked her out of the house.
The order of protection, signed by City Magistrate Susan Shetter, gives Escobar access to the house on South Railroad Avenue in order to remove her furniture.
These new charges filed Thursday by the Tucson city attorney stem not only from the Feb. 24 incident that led Escobar to request the protective order, but another incident sometime between that date and March 5, St. Louis said.
St. Louis said Patterson is not trying to hide behind legislative immunity, but that it applies to this situation. Patterson has been a state representative since 2009.
Although Patterson could not be reached in person, on Tuesday evening he posted on his Twitter account: "Not guilty."
Escobar's next court date in La Paz County is March 16.
Howard Fischer of Capitol Media Services contributed to this story. Contact reporter Brady McCombs at 573-4213 or bmccombs@azstarnet.com
