Annika Olson, Valrico, Florida woman arrested for obstruction after refusing to adhere to police orders as she attempted to give a flower panhandler, $20. Social media erupts.
‘I was just trying to give her $20!’ A Florida motorist was arrested last week on charges of obstruction after cops claimed she interfered with the arrest of a Nicaraguan national who was illegally selling flowers by the roadside.
Roadside video filmed by a passing motorist captured Annika Olson being handcuffed by police along the Imperial Parkway in Bonita Springs around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, August 16, screaming that she was ‘just trying to give [the vendor] $20.’
At the time of her arrest, police said Olson of Valrico refused a deputy’s order to move her car and park safely off the road.
Florida ordinance forbids sale of merchandise from roadway median
Footage captured by TikTok user @arelyyy38, showed the female motorist struggling as she was pinned to the hood of her car, while police pled with her to ‘relax’ as they attempted to take her into custody.
Lee County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO), said that they had been investigating the vendor, identified as Norma Garay Garcia, at the time.
‘[She] was selling merchandise in the median of Imperial Parkway, in violation of County Ordinance 28-123,‘ a Friday Facebook release stated.
‘This ordinance, for the safety of pedestrians and motorists, prohibits the sale of merchandise from the median or in the roadway.’
Police said that the investigation took longer than expected because Garcia, who was deported from the United States in Sept last year, only spoke Spanish.
Garcia had previously been warned by police not to sell flowers by the roadside.
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During the investigation, Olson saw the arrest unfolding, parked her car in the middle of traffic and ‘created a safety hazard for other motorists.’
When Olson ‘refused the deputies requests to mover her abandoned vehicle’ they proceeded to make an arrest.
While being handcuffed, Olson yelled out to a passerby filming: ‘I’m just trying to give her $20, I’m just trying to give her $20, please send this to me.’
Speaking to ABC7 about the incident, Olsen said, ‘I saw there were police [deputies] near her, but I did not understand that she was being arrested.
‘I never intended on anything to happen. I just wanted to give someone 20 bucks because they were having a bad day.
‘I had no idea panhandling was illegal; people do it all the time,’
Adding, ‘I understand that it’s dangerous for them, but if someone’s putting themselves in that situation in this summer heat, obviously, they are doing it out of desperation; they don’t want to be there.’
Olsen was ultimately booked for refusing to comply with police or firefighter’s lawful orders and for resisting an officer without violence.
Social media divided
Video of Olsen’s arrest elicited wide swath of responses on social media, with users expressing shock by the way police had reacted to an offense which, without context, appeared minor.
‘I hope she’s OK,’ wrote one user.
Others wrote, ‘this is NOT right,’ ‘poor girl… OMG,’ ‘this is so messed up,’ as they posted messages in support of Olson in the comments of the video.
But not everyone was supportive of Olson.
Wrote one social media commentator: ‘I feel she wanted to start something, she could have done it a better way. She wanted her 15 minutes.’
While another commentator posted with huge upticks: ‘Thank you Lee County Sheriff’s Office for taking these MEAN, DANGEROUS CRIMINALS off the streets !! keeping the our streets safe from FLOWERS!! btw every intersection has a homeless person staring you down asking for money while you wait for the light to turn green in ft myers and lehigh, you guys are saving the community! Lmao the only people i see being arrested ever on the side of the road are not the homeless its the hispanics selling flowers. gtfo here.’
Police quickly attempted to clear up the confusion, explaining what led to Olson and Garcia’s arrest.
Olson has been charged with refusing to comply with police’s lawful orders, resisting an officer without violence and interfering in the public right of way.
