MARTIN COUNTY, Fla. — The Martin County Sheriff's Office (MCSO) shared video of a chaotic arrest from earlier this week, which involved a dog reportedly being unleashed on a deputy.
The sheriff's office says that on Wednesday night, 63-year-old Laurel Stephens of Indiantown allegedly struck an elderly acquaintance with a glass, causing injury. Body cam captures deputies responding to the call, and Stephens being confrontational, telling them to get off her property or she's "siccing my dog on you."
"If you do you're going to jail," says one deputy.
Stephens responds that she's not going to jail, then starts to say something about having a "RICO charge." She then lunges at the officer after he tells her, "Get out of my face."
A struggle ensues as deputies attempt to handcuff Stephens and a short time later her dog bit one of the deputies. MCSO says the deputy required treatment and should return to duty soon. The dog is under observation in quarantine.
Stephens was arrested and has a $250,000 bond.
In a previous post, which shows footage of Stephens in the back of an MCSO vehicle, the sheriff's office says Stephens is facing the following charges:
- Battery on a person 65 years or older
- Two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer
- Aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer
