Deputies from the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office were trying to serve an eviction notice when a Massachusetts woman released a swarm of bees on them. And now the woman is getting stung with multiple assault and battery charges, officials said.
On the morning of Oct. 12, Hampden County deputies went to the home of Alton King in Longmeadow, the Toronto Sun reported. When they went to the home they were met by protestors who were trying to prevent a wrongful eviction.
One of those protesters was Rorie S. Woods, 55, who lives in Hadley. She arrived at the home in an SUV towing a trailer carrying beehives. Once at the home, she got out and started “shaking” the beehives, breaking the cover off one and causing hundreds of bees to swarm out and initially sting one of the deputies, according to officials.
Woods was wearing a beekeeper’s suit during the protest, so she was protected from the bees. Police were eventually able to handcuff her, but not before several more deputies were stung, including three who are allergic to bees, the Toronto Sun reported.
According to police, Woods was told that several of the officers were allergic to bees and she replied, “Oh, you’re allergic? Good.”
Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said Woods could have faced more serious changes if anything worse would have happened. He said, “We had one staff member go to the hospital, and, luckily, he was all right.”
Chief Deputy Sheriff Robert Hoffman said the deputies were just trying to do their job, according to the Toronto Sun. Hoffman said, “We had a court order that’s been presented to us and it’s our job to effectuate that court order. It was Miss Woods’ arrival with her vehicle and her trailer that really caused things to go haywire.”
Woods did plead not guilty during her arraignment on Oct. 12 in Springfield District Court and was released without bail, court records state.
You can also read: Judge Clifton Newman “Felt Sorry” for Convicted Murderer Alex Murdaugh
On Oct. 13, King, owner of the home, did bring evidence of a bankruptcy stay to the court. Grace Ross of the Massachusetts Alliance Against Predatory Lending said at that point “Everything should have stopped.” For now, though, it looks like the charges are still pending against Woods.
