Judge denies Costa Mesa activist’s request for restraining order against former City Council candidate

An Orange County Superior Court judge Tuesday denied Costa Mesa activist Ann Parker’s request for a restraining order against former City Council candidate Lee Ramos, whom she accused of intimidating her and punching her buttocks during a community event at his Costa Mesa home.

After a daylong hearing at Harbor Justice Center in Newport Beach, Judge Michael McCartin said Parker had not met her burden of proof to justify a temporary restraining order and dismissed the request.

Parker alleged in her request, filed Feb. 2, that Ramos told her he hated her and struck her “left bum” during the Jan. 27 event featuring Orange County Supervisor Michelle Steel and District Attorney Tony Rackauckas.

More than 75 people attended the event, which was advertised in mailers as a “community coffee.”

“Lee is obviously furious with me and has some sort of rage issue — hitting me, he has gone too far,” Parker, 69, wrote in court documents. “Politics is not a contact sport.”

Ramos said during the hearing Tuesday that he bumped into Parker but denied intentionally striking her.

Ramos, 74, who lives on Costa Mesa’s Eastside, ran unsuccessfully for City Council in 2014 and 2016, and Parker opposed his candidacy. He has pulled papers to seek election to the council in 2020. He also serves on the city’s Senior Commission, an advisory body on senior citizen programs and services.

Parker wrote in her filing that she and another resident went to Ramos’ home for the event and said hello to him as she entered the house. She said he told her there was private security and if she caused any type of disturbance she’d be “sorry.”

Parker asked him if he wanted her to leave and he replied that she could stay, Parker said. When she turned to walk away, she alleged, he punched her bottom “with a fist and a push.”

When she turned around, Ramos’ hands were in the air and he told her he hadn’t touched her, she wrote.

Parker wrote that she was afraid to walk past Ramos to leave the house after the event and waited until he was away from the door to exit.

Ramos testified that he spoke to Parker at the beginning of the event because he didn’t want any problems at his house.

“I know she goes around the neighborhood calling me a bad, evil man,” Ramos said. “I was upset when she showed up, but I wanted to welcome her as long as everything was civil.”

hannah.fry@latimes.com

Twitter: @HannahFryTCN