An encounter outside a charter school on Tuesday escalated into a violent confrontation, leading to felony charges for a Jacksonville woman and the first-ever arrests by the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) under Florida’s controversial new “Halo Law.”
Sheriff T.K. Waters announced the arrests, stating that the incident involving Officer Randy Holton and 39-year-old Erika McGriff was fully documented on body cameras and widely circulated on bystander cellphone video.
Incident Begins Over Parked Car
The encounter began outside the IDEA charter school when Officer Holton, serving under the Safe Schools program, approached McGriff about her car. According to Sheriff Waters, McGriff, a habitual traffic offender with a revoked license, had left her vehicle running in an intersection.
When approached, McGriff denied the car was hers and walked away.
The body camera footage shows a confrontational exchange where Holton attempts to direct her toward her car, eventually gripping her arm and wrist to take her toward his patrol SUV. McGriff repeatedly tells Holton not to grab her and to stop embarrassing her daughter, who was present.
WATCH:
Violent Scuffle and Felony Charges
As Holton attempted to handcuff McGriff, she began yelling and resisting. After a warning, Holton is seen in the video roughly pulling her to the wet street. The struggle intensified, with a bystander’s video capturing Holton briefly applying a chokehold and McGriff yelling that she couldn’t breathe, which incited the growing crowd.
McGriff regained her footing and swung at Holton, who swung back. She ended up on the ground again, where Holton was seen grabbing her by the hair. According to Waters, McGriff “violently resisted Officer Holton and eventually punched him repeatedly and bit him with such force that she left a bite impression on his forearm.”
McGriff was ultimately arrested and faces multiple third-degree felony charges, each punishable by up to five years in state prison:
- Battery on a law enforcement officer
- Resisting an officer with violence
- Operating a vehicle with a revoked license
Bystanders Arrested Under New ‘Halo Law’
As the confrontation unfolded, Holton and McGriff became surrounded by bystanders, some of whom were yelling obscenities. Sheriff Waters confirmed that at least two of these individuals were arrested for violating the state’s new Halo Law, marking the JSO’s first application of the statute.
The Florida “Halo Law,” which took effect on January 1, 2025, creates a 25-foot safety zone around first responders actively performing their duties. The law makes it a second-degree misdemeanor (punishable by up to 60 days in jail or a fine) to intentionally enter this 25-foot buffer after receiving a verbal warning to step back. The purpose of the law is to protect first responders from interference, threats, or harassment.
Waters was emphatic about the JSO’s position: “If you crowd and harass our officers or any first responder after a verbal warning, you will be arrested.”
The Sheriff acknowledged that while the law aims to improve first responder safety, critics have raised concerns that it could be used to suppress lawful observation and recording of police activities, potentially infringing on First Amendment rights.
READ: Laundry Day Of Horror: Florida Woman Kills Husband With Billy Club, Tries To Wash Away The Evidence
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