SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts — A Massachusetts woman is facing multiple assaults and battery charges for allegedly releasing a swarm of bees on a group of sheriffs, some of them allergic to bee stings, while trying to issue an eviction notice, authorities said.
Rorie S. Woods, 55, pleaded not guilty during her October 12 arraignment in Springfield District Court and was released without bail. masslive.com, referring to court records, reported Wednesday.
Her attorney did not immediately respond to a voicemail from The Associated Press on Wednesday.
Hampden County Sheriff’s Officers went to a home in Longmeadow on the morning of Oct. 12 and were met by protesters, according to the department’s official report.
Woods, who lives in Hadley, soon arrived in an SUV pulling a trailer with beehives, the report said. She began “shaking” the hives, breaking the lid of one of them, causing hundreds of bees to swarm out and initially sting a deputy, according to the report.
Woods, who donned a beekeeper suit to protect himself, was eventually handcuffed, but not before more sheriff’s department employees were stabbed, including three who are allergic to bees, the report said.
When Woods was told that several agents were allergic to bees, she said, “Oh, you’re allergic? Good,” the report said.
Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi said Woods could have faced more serious charges if something worse had happened to those who were stabbed.
“We had an employee go to the hospital, and luckily he was fine,” Cocchi said.