Woman Alleges Rape at Carroll Shelby’s

LOS ANGELES (CN) - Carroll Shelby's former personal assistant claims that Shelby sexually groped her and one of his employees drugged and raped her at Shelby's house.

The former employee accuses 88-year-old automotive legend Shelby of allowing a "pervasively hostile working environment which discriminated against plaintiff on the basis of sex," and led to her assault.

The woman, A.S., sued Shelby, Carroll Shelby Enterprises and The Carroll Shelby Foundation, and the alleged rapist, David Evans, demanding more than $5 million in damages in Superior Court.

A.S., 43, says she started working for Shelby as a receptionist in 2005 and became his personal assistant in 2006. She says Shelby made her work 7 days a week, and spend her money on Shelby's errands without being reimbursed.

"Shelby continuously used plaintiff as his own personal servant, never hesitating to send plaintiff out at all hours on grocery runs, liquor runs, pornography runs, and all manner of other personal errands," according to the complaint.

A.S. claims, "Shelby created and/or permitted a pervasively hostile working environment which discriminated against plaintiff on the basis of sex. Sexually charged comments offensive to plaintiff were constantly made in the workplace.

"This pervasive sexual harassment was not limited to verbal abuse. On at least one occasion, Shelby himself sexually battered plaintiff by groping her at his residential compound.

"Then, on or about December 22, 2010, Evans, another employee who worked for Shelby, drugged plaintiff and raped her at Shelby's residential compound when Shelby was not there. Plaintiff had consent to stay at the residential compound when the rape occurred."

A.S. says she reported the attack to Shelby and other supervisors, but they did not take "any meaningful corrective action."

"Nothing was done to keep Evans away from plaintiff; instead, plaintiff had to try to avoid Evans on her own, to the extent she could do so. She was not always successful," A.S. says.

"After the rape, Evans confronted plaintiff on at least three different occasions in the workplace, on each occasion trying to talk to plaintiff. Plaintiff always refused, but Evans would not leave her alone.

"On at least one such occasion, after being confronted by Evans, plaintiff said to Evans, 'What part of "Don't talk to me" don't you understand? I'm angry at you because you violated me!' As plaintiff was walking away, Evans taunted her. Evans was obviously trying to provoke plaintiff into hitting him. Plaintiff refrained."

A.S. says Shelby and her supervisors refused to file a workers compensation claim for the workplace-related rape. They fired her in March while she was on medical leave, partly in retaliation for reporting the rape, A.S. says.

She seeks punitive damages for discrimination, harassment, sexual battery, retaliation, wrongful termination, civil rights violations, gender violence and Labor Code violations.

She is represented by Lisa Maki.

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