The slap heard around the internet is sparking a debate about police use of force, officer conduct, and exactly how much patience one deputy can be expected to have after being spit on twice.
It all started at a gas station, which is where an alarming percentage of memorable Florida stories seem to begin. It eventually moved to a nearby mobile home park, which somehow made the situation even more Florida.
By the time it was over, a woman was in handcuffs, a patrol car door had accidentally achieved internet fame, and commenters were split between debating a deputy’s actions and comparing the entire scene to The Exorcist.
According to the Hernando County Sheriff’s Office, deputies were called to a Texaco gas station in Brooksville on June 9 after reports of a woman yelling at customers, behaving erratically, and disrupting the business. The woman, identified as Iesha Field, now faces charges including Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer and Breach of the Peace / Disorderly Intoxication.
The Disturbance Moved From a Gas Station to a Mobile Home Park
Please allow the video a moment to load.
Employees at the Texaco on Ponce De Leon Boulevard requested that Field be trespassed from the property. After receiving the warning, she left the gas station and went to a nearby mobile home park on West Jefferson Street. That did not end the disturbance.
At the mobile home park, Field allegedly continued yelling, acting belligerently, and disturbing residents. A mother with young children also requested that she be removed from the property.
At one point, Field removed most of her clothing, leaving her wearing only underwear. Investigators noted that she appeared to be under the influence of alcohol and/or narcotics and had visible injuries to her right knee and left eye.
Deputies attempted to de-escalate the situation and encouraged her to return home. Instead, the encounter escalated, and Field was taken into custody.
The Patrol Car Door Became Its Own Viral Moment
The arrest did not exactly go smoothly.
Field allegedly resisted being placed into a patrol vehicle and repeatedly attempted to hit and kick deputies during the arrest.
Once inside the vehicle, Field continued banging her head against the patrol car window. When deputies opened the door to address her behavior, her movement caused her to fall out of the vehicle.
That moment quickly became one of the biggest talking points in the comment section, with many viewers focusing on the timing of the door opening almost as much as the arrest itself.
Deputy M. LaPalme then helped Field back into the patrol vehicle. During that encounter, Field allegedly spat on the left side of LaPalme’s face.
The Sheriff’s Office Says the Deputy Was Spit On Twice
LaPalme continued trying to secure Field in the back of the patrol vehicle after the first spitting incident.
While buckling her into the seat, Field allegedly spat in his face a second time. According to the sheriff’s office, LaPalme responded with an “open-handed palm strike” to Field’s face to prevent her from spitting again.
That sentence from the release is doing a lot of work online.
Some commenters argued the deputy showed remarkable restraint after being spit on twice. Others said officers are trained professionals and should be held to a different standard, especially when dealing with someone who is handcuffed and possibly intoxicated or impaired.
Field continued to resist, kick, and attempt to damage the patrol vehicle during transport. Additional restraints and a spit hood were eventually used for the safety of Field and responding personnel.
The Deputy’s Actions Are Under Review
Field was taken to the Hernando County Detention Center, where detention staff helped secure her due to her continued aggressive behavior.
She was charged with felony Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer and Breach of the Peace / Disorderly Intoxication. She was being held on a $3,000 bond.
The incident was captured on multiple body cameras and an in-car camera. LaPalme’s actions are currently under review.
That review does not automatically mean wrongdoing has been found. It does mean the department is looking at the use of force, which is exactly what many agencies do when an arrest involves a strike, a combative subject, or an incident likely to draw public attention.
And this one has definitely drawn attention. Between the gas station, the mobile home park, the patrol car door, the spitting allegation, and the now-famous “open-handed palm strike,” this had all the ingredients of a Florida story that was going to make the internet pick a side.
Some officers are not so reserved in their response to behavior by spat upon, twice.
As far as I am concerned the officer kept his cool from the actions taken by this obnoxious intoxicated lawless woman. For those of you are who are more concerned about the officer retaliating than the actions of this obnoxious woman, how would you have handled the situation? Remember she spit in his face twice. Who knows the words that were coming from her mouth.
All of this was taking place in front of not only people in general but also families with children. Throw the BOOK at her!
It is sad, that in today’s world a person can spit on an officers face, know that aids and other serious health issue are transmitted by saliva, the officer smack with an open hand and a lot of the world suggest he over reacted
Officer took the correct action.