GREEN COVE SPRINGS, Fla. – The continuing fight between a Lake Asbury woman and her homeowners association escalated Thursday night, ending with her arrest.
The Clay County Sheriff's Office charged Kathleen Thomas, 61, with simple battery and resisting arrest without violence after cell phone video revealed she threw a cardboard box that struck another woman in the head.
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In an arrest report, CCSO Det. J.A. Boone, who was providing security at the Silvercreek Homeowner Association meeting, stated, "When the defendant finished speaking, I observed her grab a white in color box and throw it at the victim, striking the victim on the top of her head. Upon the box striking the victim, I observed multiple shards of glass eject from the box."
Det. Boone also stated he escorted Thomas to another room and told her to stay there while he attended to the woman who was struck by the box.
The report stated Thomas left the meeting and drove to her home on Creekridge Drive in Green Cove Springs where she was later arrested.
The woman hit in the head by the box was not injured.
Thomas told Channel 4 on Wednesday that she was not happy with her homeowner's association and that she's received a numerous letters from the HOA over her Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus statues.
"They said I have to remove him. They sent me two notices," said Thomas."My plan is to tell them I want my HOA fees back for the nine years I've lived here. My yard has been taken care of. I've even edged and weed whacked it myself."
At Thursday's meeting, members of the HOA asked a Clay County sheriff's deputy to tell Channel 4's crew to leave the grounds, making two nights in a row law enforcement was called as Channel 4 looked into Thomas' concern.
Another resident of the community, Ariz Fernandez, showed Channel 4 the wording in the HOA covenant agreement that says the association's board does have the right to tell people to take down statues.
"I don't agree with it. Some things should be at the homeowner's discretion," said Fernandez. "Unfortunately, written into the covenant agreement that everyone signed into, they can pretty much stop anything they don't approve of."
Sources inside Thursday night's HOA meeting told Channel 4 that the issue of Thomas' lawn ornaments was not allowed to be brought up during the meeting. Then, sources said, after some harsh words were thrown around, Thomas was escorted from the building by police.
Thomas told Channel 4, her fight isn't over.
"They are going to be sued, is what's going to happen," said Thomas. "Because I don't take no bull crap and I don't take no as an option."