ONTARIO — Seven citizens urged Ontario city councilors to act against one of their own Thursday night, March 4, going public with allegations against Councilor Freddy Rodriguez that provided a shocking opening to normally staid proceedings.

The most dramatic moment came when a former councilor, Marty Justus, drove from his home while the meeting was in progress to rebut Rodriguez’s remarks suggesting Justus was a pedophile.

Justus, whose term expired in January, held the rest of the councilors responsible for what was unfolding.

“Shame on you all,” he said.

After public comments ended, Rodriguez stepped from his council seat to the public lectern to say he supports victims of domestic abuse.

Councilors John Kirby, Eddie Melendrez, Ken Hart and Michael Badden and Mayor Riley Hill let the remarks pass without comment. Councilor Sam Baker was absent. Instead of addressing calls to strip Rodriguez of his council president role or remove him entirely, councilors turned to the city’s retirement debt.

Rodriguez, who has served on the council since 2019, has a legal history of domestic abuse, with two active restraining orders in Ontario. He was the subject of a failed effort to recall him last fall and Thursday faced new calls for him to resign or be recalled.

A local group called Ontario Citizens Speak Out, whose members won’t publicly identify themselves, said Rodriguez should resign “for personal issues” that affect his city service or the council should remove him from city committees.

Rodriguez gave no indication he would step down. Instead, he grew combative with some speakers while they tried to use the three minutes allotted for public comments to address the council.