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LOS ANGELES — Victoria Principal is embroiled in a legal fight with a former housekeeper that's worthy of a prime-time soap opera. It involves allegations of a gun, a sick dog and extortion.
Maribel Banegas claims she was fired by the former "Dallas" star on Dec. 26, but instead of paying her, the actress threatened to shoot her.
Principal, in a lawsuit filed Tuesday, states she pulled the gun only after Banegas injured her dog and was acting aggressively toward the actress and another worker. She claims Banegas repeatedly demanded money during an argument and refused to leave her home.
The dueling lawsuits will play out in Santa Monica, Calif. Neither woman's lawsuit lists an amount she is seeking.
The incident that sparked them happened at Principal's Malibu home. According to Principal's lawsuit, she hired Banegas from a temp agency and the woman was only employed with her for three days.
Banegas, in a lawsuit filed Friday, claims Principal fired her and refused to pay her after she took Principal's dog for a walk. The lawsuit claims Principal berated her for taking so long.
She claims that she locked herself in a room and called 911 after Principal pointed the gun at her. She is suing for false imprisonment, intentional infliction of emotional distress and assault.
A phone message left for Banegas' attorney, Chris Allgreen, wasn't immediately returned Tuesday morning.
Principal's lawsuit claims Banegas took her dog on Dec. 26, and that when she returned with it an hour later, the dog was "visibly choking and shaking." The suit states she and Banegas got into a shouting match, and that it was the worker's aggressive behavior that compelled her to grab her gun.
Principal, 59, is suing for several claims including trespass, civil extortion and animal cruelty. Her lawsuit states that Banegas' treatment caused her dog to have weight loss and "significant injuries," including vertebrae damage.
Principal played Pamela Barnes Ewing in the hit series "Dallas" and has her own line of skin care products.
