LONGMEADOW, Mass. (TCN) — A 59-year-old woman has been found guilty of four counts of simple assault and battery and two counts of reckless assault in connection with a 2022 incident in which she used a swarm of bees as a weapon.
WCVB reports that on Oct. 12, 2022, deputies came to a residence to enforce an eviction when Rorie Susan Woods pulled up wearing a beekeeper suit and towing a beehive. According to a statement from the Hampden County Sheriff’s Office, Woods “smashed the lid, and flipped a hive off of the flatbed, making the bees extremely aggressive. They swarmed the area and stung several officers and other innocent bystanders who were nearby.”
Some of the deputies present were reportedly allergic to bees, and when they made Woods aware, she said, “Oh, you’re allergic? Good.” Woods then brought the bees up to the door of the home, where they became even more agitated, per WCVB. Many of the deputies present were stung, one was taken to the hospital, and thousands of bees died.
According to Western Mass News, the home did not belong to Woods, nor was she a tenant. She was reportedly protesting the eviction of a man from the property.
WWLP reported last year that Woods was arrested in Tennessee after failing to appear in court in Massachusetts for her trial. Woods was found guilty on April 17 and sentenced to six months behind bars for the incident and received credit for 148 days served, according to WCVB.
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