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San Fernando city council member Maribel de la Torre was booked Friday on misdemeanor charges of vandalism and battery in connection with her stormy visit on June 28 to the home of her ex-lover and fellow city council member, Mario Hernandez. De Le Torre was released without bail, but she was fingerprinted, her lawyer said.
A lot has happened, and found its way into the public record, since De Le Torre showed up at Hernandez' door that day.
She was there, apparently, to reclaim a disputed iPad and possibly to object to a trip Hernandez was taking.
He says she came in, threatened him, tried to strangle him, and smashed a laptop on the floor. Police who came after De La Torre left reported that they saw the smashed laptop and found injuries on Hernandez.
Hernandez, who was recently the city's mayor, sought and obtained a restraining order aganst De La Torre, who had previously served as mayor. She in turn also sought and obtained an order against Hernandez.
Just before this week's council meeting, Hernandez resigned and said he regretted letting his personal life tarnish his public service. It was last fall that when, as mayor, he opened a meeting at San Fernando's city hall by announcing that he was in bankruptcy and was having a relationship with Councilwoman De La Torre.
