A 63-year-old woman from East El Paso found herself behind bars after allegedly attacking a detective and then trying to make a run for it, according to the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office.
It all went down on Wednesday, July 2, when a detective from the department’s Criminal Investigations Division showed up at a home on the 12100 block of Tower Hills Drive. The officer was there to serve a writ of sequestration—a legal order that usually involves taking possession of property involved in a dispute, reported KFOX TV.
Instead of complying, Rosana Lara, 63, allegedly turned violent. Authorities say she physically assaulted the detective and then fled the scene before she could be taken into custody.
That set off a days-long search for Lara, with the Sheriff’s Office Fugitive Apprehension Unit stepping in to track her down. On Monday, July 7, their search came to an end when they located and arrested her.
Lara was booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility and charged with assault on a peace officer or judge—a serious offense under Texas law. Her bond was set at $2,500.
So far, officials haven’t released details about the nature of the writ that brought the detective to Lara’s home, or what exactly led to the alleged assault. But with a charge like this, she’s likely facing some heavy legal consequences.
Assaulting a law enforcement officer is no small matter, and although Lara is in her sixties, the law doesn’t give much leeway when it comes to attacking an officer in the line of duty. The Sheriff’s Office hasn’t said whether the detective involved was injured or needed medical treatment, but the incident raised enough alarms to warrant a full-on manhunt.
The story has grabbed local attention, both because of Lara’s age and the surprising nature of the charge. It’s not every day that a grandmother ends up in jail over a physical altercation with a detective, but in this case, authorities say that’s exactly what happened.
With her bond now set, Lara will have to answer to the charges in court and explain her side of the story. But for now, she’s spending time in the El Paso County Detention Facility, and the Sheriff’s Office is making it clear that no one, regardless of age or circumstances, is above the law—especially when it comes to protecting officers in the line of duty.