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Woman charged with sending bee swarm on deputies at eviction

Posted October 20, 2022 7:00 am

The Associated Press

Rorie S. Woods, 55, of Hadley, Mass., center, wears a beekeeping suit while taken into custody by Hampden County Sheriff's Department officers, in Longmeadow, Mass., Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Woods is facing multiple assault and battery charges for allegedly unleashing a swarm of bees on a group of sheriff's deputies trying to serve an eviction notice, some of whom are allergic to bee stings, authorities said. (Robert Rizzuto/Hampden County Sheriff's Department via AP) The Associated Press

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (AP) - A Massachusetts woman who released a swarm of bees on sheriff's deputies as they tried to serve an eviction notice is facing multiple assault and battery charges, authorities said.

Rorie S. Woods, 55, pleaded not guilty at her arraignment on Oct. 12 in Springfield District Court and was released without bail, Masslive.com, citing court records, reported on Wednesday.

She and other protesters maintain that they were trying to prevent a wrongful eviction. The homeowner, Alton King, brought evidence of a bankruptcy stay to court the next day, at which point 'œeverything should have stopped,'ť said Grace Ross of the Massachusetts Alliance Against Predatory Lending.

Woods' lawyer did not immediately respond to a voicemail left by The Associated Press on Wednesday.

Hampden County deputies were met by protesters when they went to the home in Longmeadow on the morning of Oct. 12, according to the official department report.

Woods, who lives in Hadley, arrived in an SUV towing a trailer carrying bee hives and started 'œshaking'ť them, breaking the cover off one and causing hundreds of bees to swarm out and initially sting one deputy, according to the report.

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, she said 'œOh, you're allergic? Good,'ť according to the report.

Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said Woods could have faced more serious charges if anything worse had happened. 'œWe had one staff member go the hospital, and, luckily, he was all right,'ť Cocchi said.

The deputies were simply doing their duty, Chief Deputy Sheriff Robert Hoffman said.

'œWe had a court order that's been presented to us and it's our job to effectuate that court order,'ť Hoffman said. 'œIt was Miss Woods' arrival with her vehicle and her trailer that really caused things to go haywire.'ť

Rorie S. Woods, 55, of Hadley, Mass., left, and a Hampden County Sheriff's Department officer, right, vie for control of containers of bees, in Longmeadow, Mass., Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022. Woods is facing multiple assault and battery charges for allegedly releasing a swarm of bees on a group of sheriff's deputies, some of them allergic to bee stings, as they tried to serve an eviction notice, authorities said. (Robert Rizzuto/Hampden County Sheriff's Department via AP) The Associated Press

This booking photo provided Hampden County Sheriff's Department shows Rorie S. Woods, 55, of Hadley, Mass., Wednesday, Oct. 12, 2022, at Western Massachusetts Regional Women's Correctional Center, in Chicopee, Mass. Woods is facing multiple assault and battery charges for allegedly unleashing a swarm of bees on a group of sheriff's deputies trying to serve an eviction notice, some of whom are allergic to bee stings, authorities said. (Hampden County Sheriff's Department via AP) The Associated Press

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