An ACLU attorney hit by a car outside a 2017 fundraiser for Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas has filed a defamation suit against a woman who said he climbed on the vehicle’s hood while protesting.

Brendan Hamme, an attorney for the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, said in Wednesday’s lawsuit that the woman lied and damaged his ability to do his job counseling protesters.

The suit names Colene Campbell, a victims’ rights activist, Rackauckas supporter and wife of the car’s driver, Gary Campbell – who now is deceased. Colene Campbell, who could not be reached for comment, was a passenger in the vehicle.

The suit seeks unspecified damages and cites Campbell’s comments to the Orange County Register.

“When you’ve had your family members murdered like we have and you have people attacking your car, you’re not going to sit there and say, ‘Are you going to kill me, too?’ ” Colene Campbell told the Register. Two of Campbell’s family members have been murdered in unrelated incidents, sparking her activism on behalf of crime victims.

A video released by Hamme shows the car slowly hitting the attorney, who is holding a placard. The vehicle then makes a left turn into the wrong traffic lanes.

The fundraiser kicked off the campaign for 20-year District Attorney Rackauckas, who finished first in Tuesday’s primary election but received less than 40 percent of the vote. Rackauckas faces a runoff in November against county Supervisor Todd Spitzer.