BELCHERTOWN — A Holyoke woman who allegedly harassed and threatened employees at a Hadley rock climbing gym as many as 130 times and later assaulted police officers upon her arrest, was arraigned last week on 14 charges in Eastern Hampshire District Court.
Sasha Vazquez, 28, pleaded not guilty to charges of harassment, stalking, extortion by threat of injury, threat to commit the crime of murder, three charges of intimidating a witness or police officer, annoying telephone calls, two charges of assault and battery on a police officer, resisting arrest, defacing property, disorderly conduct and negligent operation of a motor vehicle.
According to court documents, Vazquez placed upwards of 130 phone calls to the Central Rock Gym on Route 9, oftentimes to specifically one employee, during a three-month period. In the calls and voicemails, Vazquez would threaten the employee with physical harm or death, according to the statement of facts written by Hadley Sgt. Douglas Costa.
“The threats eventually became more focused to getting money and information, by means of the threats of injury/death,” Costa wrote. Vasquez “threatened the employee that she would regret not giving her information sooner … and also advised officers during her arrest they would regret arresting her …”
Sgt. Kenneth Hartwright said the department had received several calls in August and September from the gym about Vazquez’s calls. He said the gym would contact police because Vazquez would call saying she was outside the building. When police arrived there was nobody to be found.
“Sometimes she would call five, 10, 15 times a night,” he said.
In the calls, Vazquez identified herself as Maria, according to Hartwright, who said Vazquez eventually showed up at Central Rock Gym the day she was arrested.
Police observed her vehicle on Route 47 crossing the center line, speeding and almost causing a head-on collision, according to Costa. When police attempted to arrest Vazquez, Costa wrote she refused to give up her hands to be handcuffed. While officers were securing the handcuffs, Vazquez kicked two officers, according to court documents.
When she was finally placed in the cruiser, Vazquez “repeatedly kicked the inside of the cruiser door in an attempt to damage it, even after being told to stop,” according to Costa.
Vazquez was released on personal recognizance with conditions that she stay 100 yards away from the people she is alleged to have harassed. She is also to stay away from the Central Rock Gym. She is scheduled to appear back in court Dec. 6.
Emily Cutts can be reached at ecutts@gazettenet.com.