MANCHESTER, NH – Lynn Rodriguez, 48, was arrested after slapping a police officer who was dispatched to help remove her from an apartment from which she refused to leave.
Manchester Police responded to 175 Chestnut Street on August 11 at 10 a.m. for a call describing an unwanted party (Rodriguez) who refused to leave a tenant’s apartment.
Rodriguez had spent the night in the tenant’s apartment. He told police he allowed her to stay because “he felt bad for her.” Rodriguez was homeless and using a wheelchair due to a recent leg surgery.
The resident, Scott Barry, told police he met Rodriguez on August 10 near his apartment building and immediately wanted to render assistance due to the fact she was homeless and wheelchair bound. Therefore, he invited her to spend a night in his apartment in an attempt to lend a helping hand.
He soon realized his kind gesture may have been for naught as Rodriguez became intoxicated and belligerent with him. He allegedly asked her to leave several times but she refused. Officer Casey Siegel and Steve Duquette were dispatched to attempt to reason with her. They politely asked her to leave on more than one occasion, police said.
Rodriguez allegedly failed to cooperate while yelling and swearing at the officers. A Manchester Housing Authority employee arrived on scene and advised the officers that Rodriquez was no longer welcome on the property due to her boisterous behavior. This caused a profanity-laced tirade by Rodriguez, so Officer Seigle once again asked her to refrain from her outlandish conduct. She refused to quiet down but did ask the officer to assist her while she sat in her wheelchair.
The officer complied and pushed her wheelchair through the hallway toward the exit. Rodriguez allegedly commented that she wanted to be arrested as they exited the high-rise building. She allegedly attempted to stand up as she commented about “smashing up a cruiser,” so Officer Seigle stepped in between Rodriguez and the cruiser.
She allegedly slapped Officer Siegle and made repeated attempts to hit him as he continued to reason with her about shelter options. However, the assistance turned into an arrest after the assault took place. She was transported to police headquarters and booked.
Rodriguez was charged with Simple Assault and Disorderly Conduct. She was due to appear in the 9th Circuit Court-Manchester on August 12, 2015.
You’re one click away! Sign up for our free eNewsletter and never miss another thing