The Associated Press

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla.

Saturday, August 26, 2000

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – A former live-in girlfriend is suing Cincinnati Reds catcher Benito Santiago for $2.35 million, saying he repeatedly beat her and broke a promise to support her.

Maria Lopez’s suit, filed Thursday in Broward County Circuit Court, accuses Santiago of breaking a verbal contract. Ellis Rubin, her attorney, said Florida law does not permit palimony suits.

Rubin said he expected to serve Santiago with the lawsuit when he arrived at Pro Player Stadium to play the Florida Marlins Friday night.

"I have to find out what it’s all about and talk to my lawyer," Santiago said before the game. "It really surprised me because I’m not that type of person. The only thing that concerns me is how it affects my family."

Santiago, 35, and Lopez separated in 1998 after living together for a year, the suit says. Santiago ordered her out of the house, dragged her out of a car by her hair, pushed her back inside, kicked her and "forcibly confined, imprisoned and restrained" her in a kitchen corner, the suit says.

But the breakup came after lavish gifts and promises by Santiago that he would support her if she quit work and kept house for him, and there were frequent promises of marriage, the suit says.

Santiago also threatened to kill Lopez, threw a lamp at her, dragged her across a room, pushed her down in a shower, grabbed her by the throat, pushed her out of the house and slapped her on the back of the head, the suit alleges.

Lopez decided to sue after settlement negotiations broke off after a year.

Santiago said he never hit Lopez.

"I don’t hit women," he said. "I was married for nine years and I had ladies before in the past. I always treated them like ladies. And I treated this woman like a lady. That’s my style."

Santiago, the NL Rookie of the Year in 1987 for the San Diego Padres, had a Santiago, a native of Puerto Rico, signed a $650,000 contract this season with the Reds, with whom he also played in 1995. He has also played for the Marlins, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays and Chicago Cubs.