Cape Coral woman accused of kicking 3 officers at Fourth of July celebration

CAPE CORAL, Fla. (WINK)— A Cape Coral woman is facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges after police say she became combative with officers responding to a disturbance at a Fourth of July celebration.

According to the Cape Coral Police Department, officers assigned to the city's Red, White and BOOM detail responded around 10:20 p.m. Friday to the Slipaway Food Truck Park and Marina on Cape Coral Parkway East after receiving reports of an intoxicated woman refusing to leave the property.

Dispatchers advised that the caller reported the woman was with a child, appeared highly intoxicated and was refusing repeated requests to leave. Police identified the woman as Alyssa Marie Vanderheyden, 23, of Cape Coral.

Officers wrote that she was slurring her speech, yelling, acting belligerently and repeatedly failed to comply with commands as they attempted to escort her off the property. According to the arrest report, the business manager told officers Vanderheyden had been kicking the door of an administrative building.

Police said she initially began walking away from the venue but then turned around and re-entered the property after being told to leave. When officers attempted to detain her, investigators say Vanderheyden pulled away, tensed her body and kicked one officer while being handcuffed. Police said she continued resisting, forcing officers to use a controlled takedown before carrying her to a designated arrest area.

During the struggle, officers say she kicked three officers, broke one officer's glasses, scratched another officer's arm and hand, shouted racial slurs and attempted to bite an officer while a spit mask was being applied. Police said Vanderheyden continued resisting after being placed in a patrol vehicle and remained combative during the drive to the Lee County Jail.

Detectives took temporary protective custody of the child who was with Vanderheyden and contacted the child's grandmother, who responded to the scene and took custody. Police also notified the Florida Department of Children and Families, and the report was accepted for investigation.

Vanderheyden was arrested on charges of resisting an officer with violence, four counts of battery on a law enforcement officer, trespassing and disorderly intoxication.