Deputy tases Bradenton woman three times after she tried to block cops from her home, cops say

A 70-year-old Bradenton woman had to be hit with a Taser three times and physically restrained after she interfered with deputies trying to arrest a family member, according to the Manatee County Sheriff’s Office.

Barbara Pinkney was arrested on charges of felony battery on a law enforcement officer and obstructing justice on Dec. 26. She was released the next day after posting $1,000 in bonds.

Deputies say they went to a home in the 1600 block of 27th Avenue Drive East at about 7 p.m., believing the wanted suspect was there.

According to the arrest report, the deputies were greeted at the door by Pinkney after someone else inside the home became uncooperative. Pinkney told the deputies that they could not enter the home without a search warrant. Deputies explained they had an arrest warrant and didn’t need a search warrant.

Pinkney was advised that she could be arrested and charged with obstruction if she didn’t cooperate. She refused and tried to shut the door on the deputies, according to the report.

The deputy decided to arrest Pinkney at that point and she began to resist, pulling away from the deputy and pushing him in the chest, the report states.

The deputy drew his Taser and pulled the trigger, but the first attempt had no effect. According to the report, the deputy then “drive stunned” Pinkney in the back, which proved effective enough to force Pinkney to the ground.

Drive stun is a technique using a taser directly against the body, rather than firing probes.

Though Pinkney went to the ground, she continued to resist so she was warned she would be tased again. She continued to resist so the deputy drive stunned her again, this time with no effect, the report states.

It took a second deputy getting involved before they were able to restrain Pinkney and place handcuffs on her.

Following the struggle, deputies could not find the wanted suspect.

“There was enough time during the chaos at the front of the residence for (the suspect) to get out of the rear of the residence,” the report states.

Deputies say the unusual sequence of events didn’t stop there.

A neighbor had been yelling at the deputies during the struggle and his dog got loose. Deputies say the neighbor’s dog attempted to attack a K9 unit on the scene. The dog was tased and brought under control.

This story was originally published December 28, 2019 at 2:17 PM.