BENTONVILLE -- A local circuit judge granted a temporary protection order against a School Board member after his sister accused him of hitting her.
Judge Doug Schrantz granted the order last month after the 72-year-old woman of Bella Vista filed a request for the order of protection.
The woman accused her brother -- Joel Dunning -- of stalking her. She claims there had been multiple instances where Dunning showed up unannounced at her home.
She claims her brother threatened and assaulted her and she fears for her life and safety, according to court documents.
Dunning denied all of his sister's allegations against him.
He said he went to his sister's home to bring some stuff there because she's taking care of their father. He said he hadn't seen her in about 12 years.
"She got mad and yelled at me. Nothing to it," Dunning said. "I don't know why she did the protection order."
He said he's talked to police about it. He was not arrested in connection with the incident.
Leslee Wright, spokeswoman for the School District, called it a "personal situation" and said the district had nothing to add.
Dunning is prohibited from having any contact with his sister, and he's excluded from his sister's home and the immediate vicinity.
A hearing is scheduled for 9 a.m. May 18 in Schrantz's court.
Dunning, 63, of Bentonville was elected to the School Board in November in his first bid for a political office. He received about 53% of the vote against Erron Smith in the election for the board's Zone 1 seat.
Joel Dunning, candidate for Bentonville School Board, Zone 1