Candidate for Hennepin County commissioner is jailed, charged with assault; accuser speaks out

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.

Vasquez said that Simonetti became angry, “broke down my door and threw tacks, toys and things to hurt me. ... She threw a live tarantula.”

The encounter “is all on video” that Vasquez said she recorded and turned over to investigators.

Police have released little information about the incident at the home in the 5300 block of Interlachen Boulevard. A police report noted that officers arrived shortly after 12:30 p.m. Friday in response to a 911 caller saying “her landlady is trying to trespass into her section of the home.”

Simonetti lost a nonpartisan special election for the District 6 seat on May 14 — 54.4% to 45.4% — to DFL state Rep. Heather Edelson in a race held to replace Chris LaTondresse, who resigned last summer to lead a St. Paul affordable housing nonprofit. Edelson and Simonetti are running for the seat again in the November election. County commission races are considered nonpartisan, but candidates often affiliate with political parties.

Edelson and Simonetti were the top two candidates after an April 30 special primary narrowed a field of six.

“I am focused solely on doing the work needed for the residents of District 6,” Edelson said Monday in response to a request for comment about her opponent’s troubles.

Upon her release from jail, Simonetti posted a video on X. “As all of you know, there are two sides to every story,” she said. “I have much to say about this. But I’m going to take a little time and settle and collect my thoughts again.” She then wrapped up the 27-second message: “I am still running for county commissioner in District 6.”

Star Tribune staff writer Christopher Magan contributed to this story.