A video is going viral of police arresting a woman after she tried buying flowers on a Florida parkway, officials said Friday.
“They did not tell me that they were arresting me before they had like slammed me on top of that cop car,” Annika Olsen told WINK. “Like, they never said put your hands behind your back. They never said, ‘You’re under arrest.’ I was literally just slammed on top of a cop car.”
@arelyyy38Yesterday this young girl watched a lady selling flowers get arrested. This young girl pulled over and tried to give her $20 but she also ended up getting arrested. I’m trying to contact her. Her name is Annika Olson help this get to her.♬ original sound – arelyyy38
Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) was conducting an investigation August 16 into the woman selling flowers on the parkway, Norma Garcia, according to LCSO. Garcia was reportedly in violation of a county ordinance that prohibits the sale of goods on medians or roadways.
Garcia speaks Spanish and only had Nicaraguan identification, so the investigation was taking longer than anticipated, LCSO wrote. Garcia was reportedly previously deported from the United States in 2022. (RELATED: Man Brutally Beats 75-Year-Old For Trying To Get On Crowded Elevator, Police Say)
“Deputies also confirmed Ms. Garcia had been previously warned that selling merchandise in the roadway was prohibited,” LCSO wrote.
Olson was reportedly driving along the parkway when she stopped her vehicle within the driving lane and approached the deputies. Olson’s parked vehicle in the roadway created a safety hazard according to LCSO
“Ms. Olson refused the deputies’ requests to move her abandoned vehicle from Imperial Parkway, and park in an area safely off the roadway,” LCSO wrote.
Olson was arrested for refusing to comply with lawful orders and resisting an officer without violence.
“The safety and security of our residents is our priority, and when education fails to ensure the safety of our residents, arrests follow,” LCSO continued.