Attorney sex 'victim' considers lawsuit

HOLLAND, Mich. (WOOD) - The young woman claiming a Holland city attorney sexually assaulted her then reduced her charges for driving drunk has hired a lawyer, 24 Hour News 8 learned Monday.

Grandville attorney Joel Baar specializes in civil litigation.

"We're not prepared to make a statement right now," he said. "The time will come when a statement is appropriate."

Ottawa County Sheriff Gary Rosema told 24 Hour News 8 his department is treating the woman as a victim.

The 21-year-old woman claims she was sexually assaulted by prosecuting attorney Carl Gabrielse and that her drunken driving charge was reduced to driving while impaired by Gabrielse immediately after, Rosema said.

Gabrielse is accused of taking the woman into a locked jury bathroom on the second floor of the 58th district courthouse downtown Holland for the alleged attack.

The woman reported the alleged incident to police and then they tapped her phone and wired her for evidence during subsequent conversations and a meeting with Gabrielse.

There is a personal protection order out against the now-fired Gabrielse.

New Holland Mayor Kurt Dykstra was sworn in to office Monday night. He talked to 24 Hour News 8 about the case.

"First and foremost, I can assure the people in this community and across West Michigan (that) this is an aberration," he said. "This alleged action that's supposed to have occurred is not something we condone or knew about. We have full confidence in the city that Ottawa County is going to get to the bottom of what occurred and will make the proper decision on what to do going forward."

The story broke Friday, the same day Gabrielse was fired by law firm Cunningham Dalman.

Rosema said his department is "still in the process of reviewing court documents (Gabrielse worked on.)" He added: "At this point, we have not identified additional victims."

The young woman and her father told 24 Hour News 8 they're reviewing their options of whether to file a civil lawsuit.

24 Hour News 8 was unsuccessful in attempts to get Gabrielse to comment on this story. He has not been arrested.