Woman accused of assaulting officer

Police charged Leona Berendsen, 41, with assaulting a police officer, a fourth-degree felony; resisting arrest and obstructing official business, both second-degree misdemeanors; and operating a vehicle intoxicated and stopping after an accident, both first-degree misdemeanors, after she grabbed an officer by his penis and testicles, according to an Elyria police report.

Police responded to a hit-skip at the intersection of Leona Street and Griswold Road at 4:04 p.m., Feb. 8, where a 66-yearold Elyria woman told police her car was struck by a white van that left the scene and was now at a Griswold Road address. According to the report: After making sure the victim was OK, police conducted a traffic stop on Berendsen who had pulled out of that Griswold residence.

Officers noticed Berendsen reaching for something in the center console and told her to exit the vehicle. She continued to reach for an object and an officer asked a second time.

After refusing, officers pulled her from the vehicle causing her head to hit her head and swelling to form on her left eye.

Berendsen, as officers began to search, grabbed an officer by the penis and testicles causing him to scream.

The officer was able to break free, but was kicked three times by Berendsen during the remainder of the search.

Berendsen was taken to UH Elyria for treatment of her eye.

After released from the hospital, Berendsen was taken to Lorain County Jail.

She has an Elyria Municipal Court hearing with Judge Gary C. Bennett at Feb. 12.