Florida woman arrested for throwing glass of wine at Rep. Matt Gaetz at food festival: affidavit
A woman was arrested over the weekend in Florida under suspicion of battery after she threw a glass of wine at Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz.
The Walton County Sheriff's Office confirmed Tuesday that its deputies responded to the South Walton Beaches Wine & Food Festival in Miramar Beach on Saturday, April 30, where Rep. Gaetz was attending the event with his wife.
Selena Chambers, 41, of Tallahasee, allegedly shouted obscenities at Rep. Gaetz and then threw a glass of wine at him, which landed on his shoulder, according to the arrest report. She was arrested on charges of battery against an elected official and simple battery.
The woman told deputies, according to the arrest report, that she had been drinking at the event and while walking, she tripped and spilled her wine on Rep. Gaetz. She admitted to deputies that she recognized the representative before spilling wine on him, the report said.
Witnesses told deputies that they heard the woman curse at Rep. Gaetz and saw her throw the drink at him, according to the report.
Chambers was booked into jail on Saturday and issued a $1,000 bond. She was released on Sunday.
"I will never allow the safety of Northwest Floridians to be compromised. I will be pressing charges against this individual in order to uphold the civility our community deserves. Thank you to the Walton County Sheriff’s office for taking swift action," Rep. Gaetz said in a statement.