Chaotic moment Florida woman Annika Olson is handcuffed after trying to give $20 to roadside flower vendor causes outrage online
Thank you very much! The moment Florida police arrest a woman for ‘creating a safety risk’ as she stopped her car in the middle of traffic to give $20 to an illegal roadside flower vendor
- Annika Olson was charged with refusing to obey lawful police orders, resisting an officer without violence, and interfering with public right-of-way.
- Olson says she tried to give money to street vendor Norma Garcia – police disagree – they say she self-imposed when police tried to arrest the vendor
- Garcia is a Nicaraguan national and was deported from the US in September 2022. Police say they had previously been warned about selling goods on the roadside
Florida police have handcuffed a woman who was blocking traffic after they claimed she interfered in the arrest of a Nicaraguan national illegally selling flowers on the roadside.
In a chaotic video filmed by a motorist driving by the scene, Annika Olson was handcuffed by police, screaming that she was “just trying to give (the seller) $20.”
Olson struggles while trapped by the hood of her car, as the police beg her to “relax” and attempt to take her into custody.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) said they were investigating the seller at the time, identified as Norma Garcia.
“(She) sold merchandise in the median strip of Imperial Parkway in violation of County Ordinance 28-123,” a post on Facebook reads.
Annika Olson was charged with refusing to obey lawful police orders, resisting an officer without violence, and interfering with public right-of-way.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) said they were investigating the seller, identified as Norma Garcia, who had been deported from the US in September 2022 when Olson approached them
“This ordinance, for the safety of pedestrians and motorists, prohibits the sale of merchandise from the median or on the roadway.”
Police said the investigation was taking longer than expected because Garcia, who was deported from the United States last September, spoke only Spanish.
Garcia had previously been warned by police not to sell flowers on the roadside.
Olson has been charged with refusing to obey lawful police orders, resisting an officer without force, and interfering with the public right of way.
During the investigation, Olson saw the arrest take place, parked her car in the middle of traffic and “created a safety risk for other motorists.”
When Olson “refused the officers’ requests to move her abandoned vehicle,” they proceeded to arrest.
While handcuffed, Olson yelled at a passerby who was filming, “I’m just trying to give her $20, I’m just trying to give her $20, please send this to me.”
The TikTok quickly went viral and social media users were shocked by the way the police had reacted to a crime that, without context, seemed petty.
“Hope she’s okay,” one user wrote.
Others wrote, “this is NOT right,” “poor girl…OMG,” “this is so messed up,” while posting heartfelt messages in support of Olson in the comments to the video.
Police quickly tried to clear up the confusion and explained what led to Olson and Garcia’s arrest.
Olson is charged with refusing to comply with lawful orders from the police, resisting an officer without violence, and interfering with the public highway.