US woman accused of assault for releasing swarm of bees at officers
19 October 2022, 21:04
Sheriff Nick Cocchi said Rorie Woods could have faced more serious charges if deputies had been badly injured.
A Massachusetts woman is facing multiple assault charges for allegedly releasing a swarm of bees on a group of sheriff’s deputies as they tried to serve an eviction notice.
Rorie Woods, 55, pleaded not guilty in Springfield District Court and was released without bail.
The Hampden County Sheriff’s Department deputies went to a home in Longmeadow on the morning of October 12 and were met by protesters, according to the official department report.
Woods, who lives in Hadley, soon arrived in an SUV towing a trailer carrying bee hives, the report said. She started “shaking” the hives, broke the cover off one, causing hundreds of bees to swarm out and initially sting one deputy.
Woods, who put on a beekeeper’s suit to protect herself, 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 Woods was told that several officers were allergic to bees, she said “Oh, you’re allergic? Good,” according to the report.
Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said 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.
