A 55-year-old Massachusetts woman is facing several assault and battery charges for allegedly releasing a swarm of bees on a group of sheriff's deputies as they tried to serve an eviction notice. She put on a beekeeper's suit to protect herself and was eventually arrested. Several officers were stung, including three who are allergic to bees.
Massachusetts Woman Accused Of Unleashing Swarm Of Bees To Attack Police During Eviction
By
Zainab Pervez in
Crime
On 22nd October 2022
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A Massachusetts woman is facing numerous charges after she allegedly unleashed a hive full of bees on sheriff's deputies, some of them allergic to bee stings, as they tried to serve an eviction notice in Longmeadow last week. Now that's a biological weapon.
On October 12, deputies said Rorie Susan Woods, 55, of Hadley, pulled up to the scene of an ongoing eviction on Memery Lane.
The woman left her dog in the car and walked over to "manufactured bee hives" that she was towing behind her SUV. Woods allegedly began trying to open lids to release the bees.
The Sheriff's Department said deputies tried to stop Woods, but the agitated bees began circling the area, so they backed off.
“A Sheriff’s deputy tried to stop her, but as the agitated bees started getting out and circling the area, he pulled back,” Hampden County Sheriff Nicholas Cocchi said in a statement, WCVB reported.
Woods allegedly then smashed a lid and flipped a hive off the trailer, causing the bees to swarm. Several officers and bystanders were stung.
“She then smashed the lid, and flipped a hive off of the flatbed, making the bees extremely aggressive. They swarmed the area and stung several officers and other innocent bystanders who were nearby.”
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Deputies said Woods put on a professional beekeeper suit to protect herself as she carried a tower of bees near the front door of the home in an attempt to stop the eviction.
Sheriff Nick Cocchi said in a statement that Woods "put lives in danger as several of the staff on scene are allergic to bees." When Woods was told this, she replied "Oh, you're allergic? Good," according to the report.
"We had one staff member go the hospital and luckily, he was alright or she would be facing manslaughter charges," Cocchi said. "I support people's right to protest peacefully but when you cross the line and put my staff and the public in danger, I promise you will be arrested."
Eventually, two deputies were able to wrestle Woods to the ground and arrest her. Woods was arrested on four counts of assault and battery by means of a dangerous weapon, three counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon, and one count of disorderly conduct.
"Never in all my years of leading the Hampden County Sheriff's Civil Process Division have I seen something like this," Robert Hoffman, Chief Deputy of the Civil Process Office said.
Following her arrest, Woods was booked at the Western Mass. Regional Women’s Correctional Facility. She was arraigned and released that same day, under the condition that she promised to return for hearings in the future.
The fate of Woods’ bees is unknown. Their owner has pleaded not guilty to all charges and that she has not released any statements on her ongoing case.
It is not known what connection Woods has to the property where the eviction notice was being served.