BONITA SPRINGS, Fla. — A Florida sheriff personally apologized to a 91-year-old woman and her family after he says the actions of one of his deputies lacked compassion toward her and put her in handcuffs.
Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno said one of his deputies put handcuffs on the woman in her own driveway because she tried to walk away from him as he ticketed her.
Her offense? Marceno said she had run a stop sign on her way home.
Sheriff Marceno said the handcuffs bruised the 91-year-old and caused her to bleed because she was on blood thinners. EMS was called to the situation and gave her bandages to help, Marceno said.
Sheriff Marceno said the situation had him "irate and very disappointed." Marceno said by detaining the woman, the deputy failed to use the kind of common sense he demands.
"I was sickened when I heard this," Marceno said.
The deputy has since been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of an internal affairs investigation, Marceno said.
"He won't return to duty unless or until he meets the standards we demand."
Marceno said the whole situation made him think about what he would do if he heard that this had happened to his 92-year-old grandmother.
“And, if this had happened to her, words would not express how I feel and what I would want to say or do,” Marceno said.
Sheriff Marceno said he met with the woman and apologized in person. He said if he's legally able to, he wants to pay for her citations.