News & Views

Claudia AmbroziakLet's say you're a police officer responding to a "domestic disturbance" involving a man who says his wife of 33 years kicked him in the back during an argument and then tried to attack him and a woman who says her husband of 33 years tried to choke her. (Thirty-three years? I'd be inclined to believe both sides of that story, personally.) Anyway, let's say you're that police officer and you feel like you need some clarification. So you ask the wife to show you how, exactly, her husband choked her. When she demonstrates by putting her fingers on your neck, do you a.) Thank her politely for the re-enactment and ask her to sit back down b.) Remove her fingers from your neck, explain that you didn't need the demo to be quite so realistic, and tell her to sit back down, or c.) arrest her on the spot and charge her with battery on a law enforcement officer?

If you're Officer Michael Garay of Port Orange, Florida, the answer is "c," apparently. Wait a minute ... whaaa?

Yes, Claudia Ambroziak, 58, was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer when she complied with Garay's request to show him how her husband Joe tried to "choke" her by, well, showing him how her husband Joe tried to choke her.

Seriously. Garay himself wrote as much in the police report, stating:

"I asked Claudia to show me how Joe (Ambroziak) choked her. Claudia was able to place approximately two fingers and her thumb around the front of my neck ... was able to apply pressure to the front of my neck."

Garay then grabbed hold of her hand "before she was able to apply any more pressure" to his neck ... and arrested her. Hey, that was sneaky! Not to mention unnecessary, at least by the sound of it. Why didn't Officer Garay go with option a.) or b.)? Surely one of those would have sufficed. Now, instead of simply being charged with domestic battery for allegedly kicking her husband in the back, she's being charged with battery on a law enforcement officer. Bummer times two!

Sheesh. I hope Officer Garay learns to be less vague when making this type of request in the future.

Do you think this woman deserved to be charged with battery on a law enforcement officer?

Image via Port Orange Police