By Tim Harlow, Star Tribune
Original publication date: May 14, 2011

Minneapolis, Minn. — A Stillwater mother, who agitated police when she did not stop her 3-year-old from making dozens of 911 hang-up calls, allegedly hit an officer when he came to arrest her on an unrelated warrant.

Chantel Marie Taylor, 24, was kicking and screaming when Stillwater police took her into custody Thursday morning. She was so violent that it took three officers to restrain her, according to police and a criminal complaint filed Friday in Washington County District Court.

Officers went to Taylor’s home on the 1100 block of Curve Crest Blvd. after county dispatchers received three 911 hang-up calls from the residence. The three calls, believed to have been made by the toddler, were among 57 that dispatchers had fielded over the past six weeks. All had originated from either Taylor’s land line or cellphone and required police to respond 13 times, the complaint said.

Police had issued Taylor two citations, but the crank calls continued. After Thursday’s calls, “we were at the end of our patience,” said Stillwater police dispatcher Linda Thompson.

Taylor became combative when an officer attempted to arrest her for an outstanding warrant for a driving violation in Steele County. She struck the officer in the right arm when he tried to handcuff her, police said. The struggle was so intense that Taylor and the officer fell into a closet. The officer eventually gained control, got backup and placed Taylor into the squad car, the court complaint and police said.

Taylor was charged with a gross misdemeanor of obstructing the legal process with force and misdemeanor of creating a public nuisance, said Stillwater City Attorney David Magnuson.

The toddler and a 1-year-old were released to Taylor’s aunt.

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Contact Tim Harlow at 651-735-1824.

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