Lake County ambush suspect accused of bending deputy's pinky during apparent hospital episode
MOUNT DORA, Fla. - Julie Sulpizio, the woman accused of staging an ambush that resulted in the death of a Lake County deputy and the injuries of two others, is now facing an additional charge of battery on a law enforcement officer after she allegedly bent a deputy's pinky while suffering an apparent medical episode in the hospital.
The incident was revealed in new documents from the Lake County Sheriff's Office obtained by FOX 35 on Wednesday afternoon.
Sulpizio was taken into custody Monday after an evaluation at a medical facility under Florida's Baker Act. The aforementioned incident at the hospital happened Sunday, while Sulpizio was involuntarily admitted to AdventHealth Waterman in Mount Dora, according to a probable cause affidavit.
At first, Sulpizio's right wrist was handcuffed to the hospital bed. Just after 9:30 p.m., a "potentially dangerous change" in the woman's vitals led to a rapid medical response, which called for the Lake County deputy providing security detail to move the handcuffs so medical staff could get access to Sulpizio's veins, the affidavit said.
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"(The deputy) applied a second set of handcuffs superior to the already secured handcuffs on the defendant's right wrist to ensure safety of the medical staff. I then removed the initial pair of handcuffs which allowed nursing staff to perform a successful venipuncture to collect blood for laboratory testing," the affidavit said.
Julie Sulpizio (Photo: Lake County Jail)
After the bloodwork procedure was done, the deputy said he tried to handcuff Sulpizio again with the initial pair of restraints.
"You're going to pay for that," Sulpizio told the deputy, according to the affidavit.
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Sulpizio then used her left hand, which was unrestrained, to grab the deputy's pinky and bend it "in an unnatural position causing acute pain," the report said.
The deputy was able to escape her grip and proceeded with handcuffing her to the hospital bed.
Master Deputy Sheriff Bradley Michael Link died in a shooting in Lake County (Lake County Sheriff's Office)
No other details about this incident were immediately released, including the apparent medical episode Sulpizio suffered in the hospital that triggered the nursing staff's response.
Sulpizio, who was transferred to a different detention facility on Tuesday and placed in protective custody, made her first appearance in court earlier this week, wearing a "strapless anti-suicide smock," officials said.
She's facing several charges, including seven counts of attempted murder, four counts of battery and one count of first-degree premeditated murder for the killing of Lake County Sheriff's Office Master Deputy Bradley Link.
According to online court records, Sulpizio is scheduled to appear in court in early September for an arraignment.