Belligerent Woman Tased at Hospital

A 54-year-old Racine woman is accused of attacking a Caledonia police officer and hospital personnel at All Saint’s Hospital after police say she drove over a roundabout while drunk Sunday.

Lori L. Little was charged in Racine County Circuit Court Monday with one count of battery of a peace officer, two counts of resisting an officer, one count of third offense operating while intoxicated and one count of attempted battery of hospital personnel. If convicted, she faces up to 8 ½ years in prison and $37,000 in fines.

At 12:22 a.m. Sunday, a Caledonia police officer was stopped by a driver on Newman Road near 3 Mile Road who said there was a Pontiac Grand Am travelling north on Highway 38 and swerving all over the road. According to the criminal complaint, the officer went to look for the car and as he approached the 38 and Highway K roundabout, he saw traffic was blocked by the Grand Am just north of the intersection.

It appeared the Grand Am drove over the roundabout median and knocked over a street sign before coming to a stop. One of the other drivers in the area told the officer the woman in the Grand Am was drunk.

When the officer approached the severely damaged car, he found Little alone inside. She said she wasn’t hurt, the complaint states, but she was mad about the “stupid” roundabout.

Little told the officer she had been at a benefit and was headed to a friend’s house when the accident occurred. She smelled of alcohol and after the officer got her out of the car, the complaint states, he had Little sit on the pavement because her balance was so bad.

Little told the officer again she wasn’t injured and wanted to leave. When he said no, she got belligerent and tried to walk off, according to the complaint. Another officer stopped and restrained her, got her into handcuffs and placed her in the back of a squad car.

When officers went to move Little from one squad to another, the complaint states, she kicked an officer with her boots and continued to resist until she was eventually pushed up against the trunk of a squad car to get her to stop resisting. She continued to swear and threaten the officer, who then took her to the hospital for a blood test.

Little calmed down at the hospital and sat in a chair, according to the complaint, and asked to have her handcuffs removed due to some shoulder issues. The officer took off the cuffs, but after telling her she was going to be charged, the complaint states Little got upset and tried to walk off until she was placed back in the chair by officers.

When it came time for the blood draw, the complaint states, this got rough again. First, Little refused to consent to the blood test and refused to get into a safety chair. After officers placed her in the chair, the complaint states she took a swing at officers and a hospital employee, then kicked a medical cart.

Officers told her to relax or she would be stunned with a Taser, according to the complaint, which worked for a while. But as hospital staff came close to her, the complaint states, she kicked the employee.

Then, the officer shocked her with a Taser.

Little is currently being held in Racine County Jail on a $4,000 signature bond while awaiting trial.