Florida deputy breaks woman’s car window during peaceful protest

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is reviewing video showing a deputy smashing a woman’s car window during a peaceful demonstration Wednesday evening.

Around 7:20 p.m., deputies monitoring the protest near Curry Ford Road and Chickasaw Trail saw a vehicle with its emergency lights on blocking a lane of traffic, Sheriff John Mina said.

Deputies initiated a traffic stop and asked the driver to step out of the vehicle, which the driver refused to do, Mina said

A deputy reached into the open window to try to open the door from the inside when the vehicle lurched forward and the driver started to roll up the window on the deputy’s arm, according to Mina.

That’s when the deputy removed his arm from the window, took out his baton and smashed the car window. The deputy then opened the door, removed the driver and handcuffed her.

The driver had minor cuts on her from the glass being smashed, and was taken to a hospital.

"I do find the video very troubling, and that's why I've opened up an inquiry into the entire incident,” Mina said.

Video of the incident has circulated on social media.

The Sheriff’s Office said in a news release that charges will be filed to the State Attorney’s Office for battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting without violence, in addition to being parked on the roadway and not wearing a seatbelt.

However, Mina said during a news conference that a decision has not yet been made on whether or not to file charges.

Mina said the situation could have been handled better, and the deputy should have de-escalated it.

Cox Media Group