A woman has been jailed after a routine eviction spiraled into a chaotic confrontation when a swarm of bees was unleashed on law enforcement, leaving multiple people injured.
Authorities say the incident unfolded during an effort to serve eviction papers at a $1.9 million home in Longmeadow, Massachusetts, when a beekeeper arrived with a truckload of hives and began opening them in the driveway.
Deputies on the scene quickly realized what was happening. “Hey, hey, hey, she has a truck full of bees,” one deputy said, according to video, prompting another to respond: “What?”
The beekeeper, Rebecca Woods, who was not a resident of the home, later said in a court affidavit that she intended to let the bees forage on the “lovely flowering landscape” while protesting the eviction in 2022.
But as deputies attempted to intervene, hives were knocked over, releasing hundreds of bees that repeatedly stung officers and sheriff’s staff. One person was hospitalized, and others suffered stings to the face and head.
Prosecutors said the bees were effectively used as a weapon. A jury agreed, convicting the woman of multiple misdemeanor counts, including assault and reckless conduct, while acquitting her of more serious felony charges.
She was sentenced to six months in county jail, though her lawyer said she had already spent months in custody and would likely serve only a short remaining term.
“This was unlike anything our team has ever experienced,” said Hampden County Sheriff Nick Cocchi.
The case dragged on for years after the woman missed an earlier court date and was later located out of state, resisting extradition for months before being returned to face trial.
Her lawyer said she had been trying to stop the eviction of a friend undergoing cancer treatment, describing her actions as driven by concern over “the humiliation and devastation of going through an eviction.”
During the confrontation, deputies ultimately tackled and arrested her as bees swarmed the property. When told some responders were allergic, authorities said she replied: “Oh, you’re allergic? Good.”
Officials said the incident endangered both law enforcement and nearby residents, noting that thousands of bees also died during the chaos.
