A Massachusetts woman is facing assault and battery charges for allegedly releasing a swarm of bees on a group of sheriff’s deputies — some of whom were allergic to bee stings — as they tried to serve an eviction notice, authorities said.
Rorie S Woods pleaded not guilty at her arraignment on October 12 in Springfield District Court and was released without bail, Masslive.com, citing court records, reported on Wednesday.
The Hampden County Sheriff’s Department deputies went to a home in Longmeadow on the morning of October 12 and were met by protesters, the official department report said.
Ms Woods, who lives in Hadley, soon arrived in an SUV towing a trailer carrying bee hives, the report added. She started “shaking” the hives, broke the cover off one, causing hundreds of bees to swarm out and initially sting one deputy.
Wearing a beekeeper’s suit to protect herself, Ms Woods was eventually handcuffed but not before several more sheriff’s department employees were stung, including three who are allergic to bees, the report said.
When Ms Woods was told that several officers were allergic to bees, she allegedly said: “Oh, you’re allergic? Good.”
Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said Ms Woods could have faced more serious charges if anything worse had happened to those stung.
“We had one staff member go the hospital, and, luckily, he was all right,” Mr Cocchi said.
