A Florida deputy's hand was seriously injured when a woman allegedly bit him Thursday afternoon as he struggled with her son, according to Palm Beach County Sheriff's Office records.
Cleone Charles, 53, allegedly jumped "teeth first" into the melee in front of her Greenacres-area home where Deputy Leonard Crawford was on top of her 20-year-old son, Kensky Charles. Records indicate the younger Charles screamed that he couldn't breathe.
The fracas began at 2 p.m. Thursday while deputy Andrew Roussel was driving an unmarked car in the Greenacres area. He was following up on a Crime Stoppers tip, records state. It is unclear what the tip concerned.
Roussel pulled over a black Audi with an expired tag and recognized the driver as Kensky Charles, who he knew didn’t have a valid license. His mother and 19-year-old Sandes Cineus were riding in the car with him.
Charles pulled into the driveway of the home he shared with his mother and Cineus.
Charles stepped out of the driver’s seat and yelled for the deputy to “get off my property.” Deputy Crawford showed up at the home less than a minute later, records state.
Charles “became very irate,” authorities wrote, and yelled obscenities. He then walked toward the front door of the home.
Crawford yelled for him to stop, but Charles ignored the command, records state.
Crawford grabbed the back of Charles’ shirt and the man spun around. They tumbled through the door to the home, according to deputies.
Cineus yelled for the deputy to “let go of my brother.” It was unclear Friday whether Cleone Charles is Cineus’ mother as well.
Crawford wouldn’t let go of Charles, claiming he couldn’t see the 20-year-old’s hands. Cineus punched the deputy repeatedly in the face, according to records.
Then Crawford felt a burning sensation in his hand.
He looked down and saw Cleone Charles biting his right hand. Then she bit his left. Crawford let go of Kensky Charles, who was screaming, “You all will have to (expletive) kill me.”
Crawford realized his radio had fallen. He went to grab it but the men seemingly blocked him, records state.
Meanwhile, someone hit Roussel in the back of the head, causing him to lose consciousness briefly, records state. He said he saw a white flash of light.
They all ended up on the driveway, where the younger Charles continued to resist arrest, according to authorities. Crawford, who had an injury to his eye as well as to his hands, punched Charles. Roussel fired a stun gun at him, which “incapacitated” the 20-year-old.
His mother then hit and pushed Roussel as he tried to handcuff her son, records state.
Both deputies and one of the people involved in the fight — it was unclear which one Friday — were taken to a hospital with non-life threatening injuries, authorities said.
The men were arrested on charges of obstructing police, battery on an officer and violently resisting an officer. The younger Charles also faces a charge of driving without a valid license.
Cleone Charles faces charges of aggravated battery on an officer and violently resisting arrest.
As of Friday afternoon, all three remained in the Palm Beach County Jail in lieu of posting bond.
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