San Francisco Police Department

Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi's booking photo

San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi was hit with new allegations of domestic violence over the weekend. An ex-girlfriend filed a report with police claiming she suffered a minor injury during an argument with the former supervisor, a law enforcement source has confirmed.

The new revelations, first reported Monday by SF Weekly, came just hours after Mirkarimi learned that he will go on trial Feb. 24 for allegedly abusing his wife, Venezuelan television actress Eliana Lopez, during an argument on New Year’s Eve. Mirkarimi has been charged with three misdemeanors: domestic violence battery, child endangerment and dissuading a witness.

The San Francisco Chronicle first identified the former girlfriend as Christina Flores.

Flores told SF Weekly that Mirkarimi was like a “pit bull. He snaps, and he gets mad and he goes right for the jugular.”

Flores, who SF Weekly reported is the ex-wife of San Francisco Police Department domestic violence investigator Tony Flores, said she dated Mirkarimi for about 18 months while he was a member of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors. Their relationship ended in 2008 after Mirkarimi told her he had been in a relationship with another woman who was pregnant with his child.

The statute of limitations for domestic violence cases is three years for felonies and one year for misdemeanors. But Flores said she would "gladly" testify against Mirkarimi in the Lopez case if asked to do so by prosecutors.

Flores said she decided to come forward after Lopez backed away from statements Lopez had made to a neighbor describing the Dec. 31 incident.

"I have nothing to gain from reporting this other than to notify the authorities of the history of violence Mirkarimi has towards women," Flores told police investigators, according to SF Weekly.

According to a copy of the police report posted on SF Weekly's website, Flores told investigators that "on numerous occasions … Mirkarimi would scream into her face while backing her against a wall with his imposing stature." On one occasion, "Mirkarimi's rage turned violent. … Mirkarimi grabbed her by both her upper arms, shook her and pinned her against the wall." Flores, "fearing for her safety, … convinced Mirkarimi to let her go," the report said. The incident left Flores with a bruise on her right arm.

Flores told investigators that she didn't go to police at the time because she "comes from a law enforcement family and she was humiliated and embarrassed about the incident."

Flores told SF Weekly that Mirkarimi had a "Jekyll-and-Hyde personality" and that he often directed his anger at women.

"This is somebody who does this primarily to women and takes pride in the fact he's a big guy," she said.

The new accusations will likely increase pressure on Mirkarimi to step down as sheriff. Mayor Ed Lee said Monday that he hopes to speak directly with Mirkarimi to discuss whether the sheriff should “take a leave” until his trial concludes.

The mayor has the authority to remove the sheriff on official misconduct grounds, with the approval of the city's ethics commission and Board of Supervisors, and appoint a replacement.

If Mirkarimi were to step down voluntarily, the department could face added uncertainty because the sheriff, who was sworn in earlier this month, has yet to appoint top department officials.

During a temporary absence, the undersheriff would typically take over, but the current undersheriff, Jan Dempsey, who was appointed by Mirkarimi’s predecessor, Michael Hennessey, plans to retire soon, according to department officials. Spokeswoman Susan Fahey said Mirkarimi began meeting with candidates to fill Dempsey’s position last week and is expected to wrap up the interview process by Friday.

In the absence of an undersheriff, Mirkarimi’s job would fall to the department’s assistant sheriff, but that position is currently vacant and interviews to fill it are not yet under way. If there is no assistant sheriff, the department's most senior chief deputy would fill the sheriff's post.