Florida woman found hiding from police in playground slide after attempted burglary
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — A Florida woman is behind bars after she hid from police in a playground slide following several attempts to break into nearby vehicles, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
Deputies responded to calls about a suspicious person at a local school on Friday around 6:30 pm. who was trying to open several car doors and throwing things over the fence of the school’s playground.
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Julie Martellucci, 45, of Palm Coast was found trying to hide in a corkscrew tube slide. Eventually, police removed her from the slide after she ignored commands to get out.
As the sergeant was trying to restrain Martellucci, she struck him across the face with her elbow, according to the sheriff’s office.
“I was back here with my frog,” Martellucci told deputies in a bodycam video during her arrest. “because I’m a nature nut.”
“Minus the nature part,” one of the deputies fires back.
Through investigation, detectives learned that she had thrown multiple playground playsets over the fence and knocked over others. Martellucci also got into a shed on the school’s property and tried breaking into two businesses through several windows.
During her arrest, Martellucci is heard asking deputies on video, “You know what I did two days ago?”
“There’s no telling ma’am,” the deputy responded.
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“I murdered a crane. The crane’s on the side of the highway,” she said.
When asked why she did that, she responds with, “I clearly— I’m a dangerous person.”
“Was the crane trying to get your frog?” the deputy said back to her.
“This would-be thief reached a new low in her attempt to steal from local businesses,” said Sheriff Staly. “She left a mess on a children’s playground and slid her way into the Green Roof Inn. I also thank the concerned citizens that called in reporting the suspicious behavior that led to her arrest. Finally, if you batter a Deputy Sheriff, I promise you a trip to the Green Roof Inn.”
Martellucci was arrested on two counts of burglary, resisting arrest with violence, and battery on an officer and taken to the local inmate detention facility. She is being held on a $15,000 bond.
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