Hollywood actor Vin Diesel has been cleared of sexual battery claims made by a former assistant, Asta Jonasson, over alleged incidents during the filming of Fast 5 in 2010.
Jonasson had accused Diesel of assaulting her at Atlanta’s St. Regis hotel while the movie was in production. Diesel, 58, consistently denied the allegations over the past two years.
Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Daniel M. Crowley dismissed the case, citing a legal technicality. The judge noted that the alleged incident took place in Georgia, meaning California law did not apply, as statutes are generally presumed not to have extraterritorial effect.
Matthew Hale, Jonasson’s attorney, confirmed that the court did not rule on the truth of the allegations and said his client plans to appeal the decision. Hale criticized the ruling, describing it as “based on a legal technicality” with which they “respectfully disagree.”
Diesel’s attorney, Freedman, praised the court’s ruling, calling the lawsuit “meritless” and reaffirming that Diesel “categorically denies this claim in its entirety.” He emphasized that evidence exists refuting Jonasson’s claims, which he described as “outlandish.”
According to court documents, Jonasson alleged that Diesel engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior in his suite while entertaining other women, and that she was subsequently fired by Diesel’s sister, Samantha Vincent, president of One Race Films.
The case has drawn attention due to its high-profile nature, but the ruling underscores the importance of jurisdiction and legal technicalities in cases spanning multiple states. The matter is expected to continue in the appeals process.