BEDFORD — A Bedford woman is facing multiple felony and misdemeanor charges following an eventful arrest on October 21, which began with a disturbance at the local Walmart and escalated into a physical altercation inside the Lawrence County Security Center, according to court documents and probable cause affidavits.
Kyle Laws, 37, was taken into custody after police say she stole nearly $1,000 worth of merchandise, including wearing stolen clothing and pulling a stolen store cart containing her dog and an air mattress. Hours later, while being booked into the jail, Laws allegedly headbutted a corrections officer.
According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Bedford Police Department Officer Nicholas A. Lemke, officers were dispatched to the Bedford Walmart at approximately 8:13 a.m. on October 21 after receiving reports of an intoxicated female lying down in the toy aisles with a dog.
Upon arrival, officers and asset protection staff located Laws, who matched the description, talking to herself, and pulling a store shopping cart. Authorities noted that Laws displayed slurred speech, small pupils, and erratic movements. Laws admitted to using methamphetamine within the previous seven days.
Store asset protection and investigating officers discovered that Laws was wearing a store sweatshirt with the tag removed and a stained front, as well as stolen pants.
The shopping cart she was using belonged to Walmart. Hidden under her dog inside the cart were an air mattress, an opened bag of dog food, a dog coat, and a dog sweatshirt that still featured plastic tag holders.
Surveillance video and asset protection statements revealed that Laws had already exited the store with items the previous night, October 20.
Damaged and stripped merchandise totaled $950.06 in losses for the retailer. Due to damage and removed tags, much of the merchandise had to be discarded.
Animal control took possession of the dog at the scene, and Laws was transported to the Lawrence County Jail. She was also served an official trespass notice barring her from Walmart.
Later that morning at approximately 9:29 a.m., a second incident occurred inside the Lawrence County Security Center, according to an affidavit filed by Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department Deputy Kyle Long.
Jail staff reported that Laws, who had been acting sporadically throughout the booking process, began banging on her holding cell door after refusing to sign a personal property acknowledgment form. Despite warnings that she would be placed in a WRAP restraint device, Laws continued her behavior.
When jail staff entered the cell to apply handcuffs, Laws pulled her head backward and intentionally headbutted a jail officer.
The officer reported that the strike caused immediate pain, though no external marks were visible on the female jailer’s face or head.
Interviewed by Deputy Long under Miranda rights, Laws admitted to intentionally headbutting the officer. Jail surveillance video corroborated the account, capturing Laws striking Officer Dugger in the head.
Laws is currently incarcerated at the Lawrence County Security Center. Based on the joint investigations by the Bedford Police Department and the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department, she faces formal charges including battery against a public safety official engaged in official duty causing injury, theft, and public intoxication.
All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. This article is based on the information provided in the probable cause affidavit and does not represent a final determination of guilt or innocence.
