Sick of noise, she sprays anger onto cars, deputies say

The woman, also accused of yelling profanities and racial slurs at her neighbor, is arrested.

By Times Staff Writer
Published December 21, 2007

Times Staff Writer

SPRING HILL - Barbara Latwinas told deputies that she had had enough of the noise in her neighborhood, so she decided to do something about it. Her plan, according to a report, involved taking a can of spray paint to her neighbor's cars.

Latwinas, 48, of 2212 Rio Circle, admitted to deputies Wednesday afternoon that she sprayed white paint on the hood of neighbor Angelina Patrick's tan 1994 Lexus and on the passenger doors and windows of her 1990 teal Honda.

Two of Patrick's daughters and a niece told deputies they saw Latwinas in their driveway about 4 p.m. with a can of spray paint in her hand. When they confronted her, Latwinas began yelling profanities at them, called them racial slurs and then returned to her home, according to a report.

Deputies knocked on Latwinas' door and tried to reach her by telephone without success. They looked through a window and saw her sitting at her computer and directed her to step outside. She refused, yelling, "About time you got here, but now it's too late."

Latwinas eventually opened a door and complained that the Sheriff's Office never does anything about the noise disturbances in the neighborhood, adding that her neighbors can get away with anything because they are black.

After admitting to damaging the cars, Latwinas was arrested on misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief and prejudice while committing an offense. She tried to pull away and told Deputy Steven Johnson, "I don't want these kind of handcuffs, I want the furry kind."

Latwinas, who had no shoes on, asked Johnson to go into her home and get her a pair of sneakers. While inside the garage, Johnson could not find any sneakers but did see a can of spray paint.

The paint was white and was placed into evidence.

[Last modified December 20, 2007, 20:16:28]