Lawyer, reporter clash in Santa Rosa court hallway

A routine court appearance for a Cotati woman suspected of embezzling from a disabled ex-San Francisco firefighter turned ugly Monday when her lawyer and a TV reporter clashed in the courthouse hallway.

Kimberly Van Vorst, 45, is charged with stealing more than $65,000 from Melanie Stapper of Guerneville while she worked as Stapper’s caretaker two years ago.

Earlier this year, Van Vorst was charged with four felonies after Stapper reported the losses. Van Vorst has been free on supervised release.

Leaving court Monday, Van Vorst declined to comment about her case and ran from a Bay Area TV reporter wielding a cellphone camera.

Her lawyer, Kevin McConnell, confronted NBC reporter Mark Matthews, refusing to let him pass as Van Vorst ran down a corridor into a bathroom.

Van Vorst later bolted from the building with a coat over her head.

“I thought the guy was conducting himself in a very thug-like fashion,” said McConnell, who claims Matthews didn’t identify himself as a reporter. “I had no idea who he was.”

Matthews said he identified himself to McConnell and Van Vorst, who is charged with four felonies carrying a maximum four-year prison sentence.

Prosecutors allege she stole money from Stapper’s bank accounts by forgery and using her credit cards. One of the charges is theft from a dependent person.

Van Horst has yet to enter a plea. She was ordered to return to court Oct. 9.

Stapper, who became disabled after a 1995 garage fire that killed another firefighter, was in court Monday with a new caretaker.

Stapper said seeing Van Vorst brought feelings of rage. Part of her losses, which she said exceed $100,000, include an inheritance left by her mother. “She’s ruined my life, basically,” Stapper said. “She’s taken away the freedom I had.”