Two women are out on bail tonight after they were charged for attacking a female police officer. 24 year old Kimani Card, a teacher, along with her cousin American national Vanessa Williams were today charged for grievous harm. But that charge will likely be upgraded to dangerous harm since their alleged attack on woman sergeant Araceli Petillo may have caused a miscarriage.
It all began on Thursday night at Club Next where security officers refused entry to Williams’ brother because he wasn’t wearing a wrist band. He maintained he had already paid. Eventually force was used to subdue him and that’s when Vanessa and Kimani pulled out their cameras and started to take pictures of what they allege was an excessive use of force.
The police didn’t take too kindly and they then detained Kimani Card and Vanessa Williams. They where taken to the police station were the they went in literally kicking and screaming –during which time they got into a struggle with Sergeant Araceli Petillo. They allegedly tore the woman sergeant’s camouflage uniform –and reports are that the struggle caused her to miscarry.
They were arraigned in court on the grievous harm in addition to obstruction of a police officer during the course of her duty, and damage to property. The police asked for remand since Vanessa Williams is not a Belizean and is a flight risk and that more charges are pending. Their attorney Arthur Saldivar offered a Belizean surety and once that was secured – both women were released on bail. Again the charges are likely to be upgraded from grievous harm to dangerous harm because of her miscarriage.
Vanessa Williams came to Belize for the funeral of her father.
