On a seemingly peaceful evening in Volusia County, Florida, police officers responded to a call about a combative patient at a local hospital. The incident, captured on body camera footage, quickly escalated from a routine check-up into a chaotic scene involving resisting arrest, alleged battery on law enforcement officers, and concerns for a minor’s well-being.
The incident began when healthcare staff at the hospital contacted the police, reporting a disruptive and aggressive patient. The body camera footage, although initially cutting out in the patient’s room, resumed in the hospital lobby, where officers encountered 34-year-old Natasha Walker.
Walker, visibly agitated, repeatedly requested officers to “let go” and made claims of being “too short” to comply with their instructions to sit down in the patrol car. Her demeanor escalated as she accused an officer of “cutting off circulation” and used racially charged language, further escalating the situation.
Natasha Walker being restrained by police officers in the hospital lobby.
Meanwhile, the man who accompanied Walker to the hospital, later identified as her boyfriend, attempted to explain the situation to the officers. He described Walker’s history of alcohol abuse and a recent relapse, stating that she had been drinking with a friend earlier that day. He attributed her erratic behavior to alcohol withdrawal and a possible reaction to consuming oysters.
As officers attempted to restrain Walker’s legs in the patrol car, she continued to resist, claiming her restraints were too tight and expressing concern for her 12-year-old daughter who was home alone. Her attempts to free herself from the restraints proved unsuccessful, despite her claims of possessing Houdini-like escape skills.
Natasha Walker struggling with officers while restrained in the back of a police car.
The situation intensified further as Walker demanded to speak to a sergeant, accusing a previous sergeant of making racist remarks. She repeatedly requested officers to “check the cameras” to verify her account of events. Walker’s behavior remained combative, even resorting to vulgar language directed at the officers.
In an attempt to de-escalate the situation and ensure the safety of Walker’s daughter, officers decided to proceed with transporting her to jail while simultaneously dispatching another officer to check on the well-being of the child.
During a conversation with another officer, the sergeant who had initially responded to the scene recounted Walker’s aggressive behavior, stating that she “went [expletive] wild” and physically resisted their attempts to de-escalate the situation.
The officer dispatched to Walker’s residence encountered a neighbor who provided unsolicited information about Walker, describing her as having a “12-year-old daughter” and being known to “jump in the water at Arby’s.” The officer, unable to locate the child at the residence, learned from Walker that her daughter might be at a friend’s house.
A police officer speaks with a neighbor of Natasha Walker, who is being investigated for possible child endangerment.
Fortunately, officers later confirmed the child’s safety at a friend’s house, averting a potential child welfare crisis. As for Natasha Walker, she was booked on charges of resisting arrest with violence and two counts of battery on a law enforcement officer. She later entered a no-contest plea and received a sentence of 200 days in jail.
