Woman Charged with Battering an Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Deputy

Matt Boster

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Posted by: Matt Boster
Date: Feb 25 2019 4:29 PM

An Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Deputy was battered Saturday night while trying to detain a woman refusing to leave a Fort Walton Beach area convenience store at the clerk’s request. 33-year old Tayanna Smith is charged with battery on an officer, resisting with violence, depriving police of a means of protection, criminal mischief, and trespassing after the incident at 735 Martin Luther King Jr.

Boulevard. The store employee had been trying unsuccessfully to get Smith and another woman to leave the store. They also refused when the deputy arrived and asked them to step outside to speak to her. When the deputy tried to detain Smith, she pulled away and ran. The deputy grabbed Smith’s shirt.

Smith then turned and began hitting her in the face with closed fists. The deputy retrieved her pepper spray but Smith knocked it out of her hands; however the deputy was able to pick it up and spray Smith in the facial area. Smith was still trying to escape when a witness to what was happening stepped in to provide help until backup arrived.

The deputy was not seriously injured. The other female involved, 30-year old Jessica Vinson of Fort Walton Beach, is charged with trespassing and resisting without violence.

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