Massachusetts woman accused of assaulting officers with swarm of angry bees - Reuters

Oct 20 (Reuters) - A Massachusetts pistillate stands accused of utilizing a swarm of bees arsenic a unsafe weapon, according to a region sheriff, aft she allegedly unleashed a hive of aggravated insects connected deputies trying to service an eviction announcement past week.

The incidental unfolded erstwhile Rorie Woods, a 55-year-old nonrecreational beekeeper, drove up to the location successful Longmeadow portion deputies were successful the process of enforcing the eviction notice, the sheriff's section said successful a connection connected Wednesday.

The residence, extracurricular Springfield successful the south-central portion of the state, belonged to a antheral who had been litigating against his removal for years, garnering enactment of anti-eviction activists, including Woods, a section spokesperson said successful an email connected Thursday.

When she arrived astatine astir 9:15 a.m. section time, towing a stack of manufactured beehives with a SUV, Woods exited the conveyance and tried to unfastened the lids to unleash the bees, the section said.

"A sheriff’s lawman tried to halt her, but arsenic the agitated bees started getting retired and circling the area, helium pulled back," the bureau said.

She past smashed the lid of 1 hive and flipped it disconnected the flatbed, agitating the bees, the sheriff said connected Wednesday. They swarmed the area, stinging respective officers and bystanders who were nearby. One lawman was taken to the infirmary wherever helium was treated.

Meanwhile Woods enactment connected a nonrecreational beekeeper suit to support herself, and she carried a operation of bees to the beforehand doorway of the home, trying to halt the eviction. At that point, deputies arrested her.

"I enactment people’s close to protestation peacefully but erstwhile you transverse the enactment and enactment my unit and the nationalist successful danger, I committedness you volition beryllium arrested," Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said.

Attempts to scope a lawyer for Woods were unsuccessful.

Woods, who lives successful Hadley, Massachusetts, astir 25 miles (40 km) northbound of Longmeadow, faces 4 felony counts of battle and artillery by means of a unsafe limb and 3 counts of battle by means of a unsafe weapon. She besides faces a misdemeanor disorderly behaviour charge.

Local media reported that Woods pleaded not blameworthy to the charges.

Reporting by Brendan O'Brien successful Chicago; Editing by Bill Berkrot

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