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Still angry: Woman arrested at RDU has outburst in court

A Durham woman facing an assault charge after she allegedly punched and cursed an airport police officer continued her resistance to authority Monday afternoon in her first court appearance.

Posted Updated

By
Amanda Lamb
, WRAL reporter
MORRISVILLE, N.C. — A Durham woman facing an assault charge after she allegedly punched and cursed an airport police officer continued her resistance to authority Monday afternoon in her first court appearance.

Evian Gabrielle Villegas, 39, of 5008 N.C. Highway 55, told the judge she intended to represent herself and immediately tried to plead guilty to disorderly conduct.

Villegas faces three charges – assault on a law enforcement officer, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest – stemming from an outburst Friday at Raleigh-Durham International Airport.

According to the warrant for her arrest, Villegas was trying to check in for a flight Friday. When Southwest Airlines agents told her that she did not have a ticket and could not fly with her dog she became belligerent, ultimately punching Officer Robert Peterson in the eye. The warrants allege that Villegas also spit on Peterson, cursed airline employees and her dog snapped and barked at other passengers.

Villegas fought with law enforcement officers until they were able to restrain and arrest her, the warrant said.

On Monday, as she appeared in court, Villegas interrupted as the judge assigned her a public defender.

"I'm going to represent myself here," she said, before raising her voice in asking to be able to make a phone call.

"I have not received one phone call since I've been here," she yelled, sprinkling in profanity. "You put me in solitary confinement for three days."

Bailiffs grabbed Villegas and physically escorted her from the courtroom as she continued to shout.

A spokesman for the Wake County Sheriff's Office said Villegas had been allowed the same opportunity to make a phone call as any other inmate.

It is unclear whether Villegas was booked on a flight – a Southwest spokesman said the airline could not release that information. The airline does allow passengers to bring small dogs or cats on board under certain conditions.

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