- April 19, 2024
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by: Brittany Kershaw
Public Affairs Manager, Flagler County Sheriff's Office
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office responded to 309 Palm Coast Parkway on Tuesday morning, May 5, after a verbal disturbance was reported at a doctor’s office.
Upon arrival, Sergeant Dopp was met by the security guard for the facility who stated that a woman had brought her adult son to the office and was notified by staff that due to COVID-19, the office’s policy was to only allow the patient into the building and the woman must wait outside or in her vehicle.
The woman, 51-year-old Claudia Avello Munoz, refused to leave the office. She began arguing loudly with a nurse and approached the nurse and shoved her by her shoulder. Avello Munoz then sat in the waiting room and refused to leave.
FCSO was called and Sgt. Dopp made contact with Munoz and tried reasoning with her to help her understand the need to wait outside. Avello Munoz continually refused to leave. After numerous attempts, Sgt. Dopp notified Munoz that she would be placed under arrest for trespassing after warning if she did not relocated to outside of the office building.
She still refused and as Sgt. Dopp was attempting to arrest and put handcuffs on her, Munoz began to pull away and resist to the point that Sgt. Dopp had to physically control her in order to gain control.
Munoz continued to resist and began to kick and dig her fingernails into Sgt. Dopp’s arm while attempting to bite him several times. Cpl. Kandour arrived on the scene and assisted with securing Munoz.
Once in the back of the patrol vehicle, Munoz was able to free herself from one of the handcuffs and had to be re-secured.
“A simple trespass warning turned into two felony charges when this woman refused to listen and decided she would do what she wanted and assaulted our deputies,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “New business policies surrounding COVID-19 are in place to keep everyone safe. Please understand the ‘new normal’ we are all living in and don’t let anger get the best of you. If you do, it may result in a stay at the Green Roof Inn.”
Munoz was arrested and charged with trespassing after warning, resisting an officer with violence, and battery on a law enforcement officer. She was booked into the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility where she is being held on a $5,500 bond.
Video of the arrest can be viewed on YouTube at https://youtu.be/xSmqhl1S_0w.
