The trailer and beehives used in the alleged attack.Photo: Hampden County Sheriff's Office
LONGMEADOW, Mass. (WBZ NewsRadio) — A Hadley woman is accused of using her bees to attack a team of sheriff's deputies in Longmeadow last week. The Hampden County Sheriff's Office said the woman drove up in her SUV last Wednesday at around 9:15 AM when they were enforcing an eviction. The SUV was towing a trailer stacked with beehives.
The situation quickly deteriorated. The woman, later identified as Rorie Susan Woods of Hadley, hopped out of the car and allegedly started opening up the beehives, unleashing the aggravated bees.
Officials said one of the deputies tried to stop woods, but by that time the enraged bees were already swarming. Woods allegedly smashed the lid of one of the hives and pushed it over, putting on a professional beekeeping suit to protect herself as the enraged bees attacked the officers and a few bystanders nearby.
The Sheriff's Office also said Woods also took one of the hives and put it in the doorway of one of the homes, in an attempt to stop the eviction.
"We had one staff member go the hospital and luckily, he was alright or she would be facing manslaughter charges. 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," said Sheriff Nick Cocchi.
Other members of the staff there were similarly beside themselves:
“Never in all my years of leading the Hampden County Sheriff’s Civil Process Division have I seen something like this,” said Robert Hoffman, Chief Deputy of the Civil Process Office.
Woods faces four counts of assault and battery by means of a deadly weapon, three counts of assault by means of a dangerous weapon, and a charge of disorderly conduct.
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