A UCF Parking Services and Transportation employee was was arrested Wednesday night after she kicked and struck an officer during a routine traffic stop, an arrest affidavit said.
Police said Melissa Varga, 23, was driving down Greek Park Drive when she was stopped for traveling 44 mph in a 25 mph zone.
When police stopped Varga, she told them that she couldn’t pay for the ticket and asked if she was free to leave, the arrest affidavit said. Police asked Varga for her license and registration several times, but she would not supply the documents, the affidavit said.
According to the arrest affidavit, upon the fifth time requesting for the documents, Varga said that she was leaving and started to roll up her window. The officer then said he put his hands on top of the window to prevent Varga from rolling it up further, the affidavit said.
The officer told Varga that she was under arrest, but Varga attempted to put the vehicle in gear, the arrest affidavit said.
“The female driver attempted to put the vehicle in gear, and I reached in the vehicle and grabbed her arm to prevent her from successfully placing the vehicle in gear,” UCFPD Sgt. Hugh Carpenter said in the affidavit. “Once I got a grip on the victims left arm and pulled her towards me she let go of the gear shift and then swung her right arm with an open hand and struck my left arm with her right hand twice.”
Carpenter said he had his partner help him get Varga from the car when she started kicking the officers, the arrest affidavit said. UCFPD said they had to force Varga out of the vehicle by using a pressure-point technique, dragging her out by her legs then forcing her to the ground where the officers were then able to place handcuffs on her, the affidavit said.
Police said they had to put Varga in an “arm bar” to prevent her from continuing to resist arrest, but Varga still tried twisting her body to break free of the officers’ hold, the affidavit said.
Police were able to get Varga into the backseat of the patrol car, but when they checked on her a short time later, she had taken off her UCF Parking Services and Transportation shirt and managed to take her left hand out of the handcuffs, the arrest affidavit said.
Police said Varga tried to resist arrest again and the officers took her to the ground to reapply the handcuff, the arrest affidavit said.
Varga was charged with battery on a law enforcement officer and resisting arrest without violence. She was held on a $1,600 bond.
