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Troubled Leesburg woman arrested after 4-hour SWAT standoff

Ieaka Yatanya Olmstead
Ieaka Yatanya Olmstead

A troubled Leesburg woman who checked herself out of a mental health hospital and had a half-dozen firearms in her possession was arrested after a four-hour standoff with the Lake County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team.

Ieaka Yatanya Olmstead, 41, of Silver Lake Drive, was charged recently with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill (domestic), two counts of child abuse without great bodily harm (domestic), and a single count of animal cruelty.

Speaking with a sheriff’s deputy at Lake-Sumter State College, which is near their residence, Olmstead’s husband said she has been experiencing a mental health crisis for about a month. He said she previously checked herself into The Vines in Ocala, but after 28 days of treatment, she had herself checked out against medical advice, according to the sheriff’s office report.

The victim said his wife is diagnosed with bipolar, borderline personality disorder, and manic depression, and that she also has substance abuse issues with medical marijuana. He said she told him she is also schizophrenic, although he doesn’t believe she has been diagnosed with it. The victim said Olmstead has also been diagnosed with anxiety with regards to a fear of being killed by law enforcement, the report said.

The victim said since having herself released about 3 ½ weeks earlier, Olmstead had not been taking her prescribed medication. He then described what he called a manic episode on May 16, when she smashed the window of his truck, purposefully backed it into a trailer and then ran over two trees and a roll of fence, according to the report.

The victim said Olmstead then got out of the truck and armed herself with a garden prune tool and a .380 Glock semi-automatic handgun. He said when they were inside the residence, Olmstead aimed the handgun at him while he was holding a child in his arms. Then, while still armed with the garden prune tool, Olmstead threatened to slit the throat of their 10-year-old child, who was standing behind the victim, the report said.

The victim said he was not necessarily in fear for his safety but was in fear for the children, as she had intentionally aimed the firearm towards them and could have caused significant harm to both of them, according to the report.

The victim went on to say that on May 17, Olmstead started threatening to burn down the residence with her inside. She also made comments that the easiest way for her to die would be to have law enforcement kill her, the report said.

The victim told the deputy that neither child was at the home. He said Olmstead was home alone and that her vehicle, a black Volkswagen Beetle, would be in the back yard. The victim said he hid the .380 handgun in a closet after removing the ammunition. The deputy observed the front driver’s side window of the victim’s truck was broken, according to the report.

The deputy also spoke with a mental health professional at The Vines, who said Olmstead was diagnosed with chronic PTSD, suicidal ideation, bipolar mix, and hypertension. She also said Olmstead is a combat veteran with a history of sexual as well as psychological abuse, and that she has not been taking her prescribed amount of medication, the report said.

Due to the nature of the incident and the statement provided by the victim, the negotiations and SWAT teams were called to the scene. While gathering information, it was discovered there was also an AR-15 rifle, another handgun, and two shotguns inside the residence that Olmstead could have access to. It was also learned there was ammunition for the rifle readily accessible, according to the report.

After a perimeter was established, Olmstead was seen going in and out of the residence numerous times, adding items to a fire in the yard. At one point, a deputy saw her grab her dog and slam it to the ground multiple times before placing it in a white bag, the report said.

After about four hours, members of the SWAT team were able to get Olmstead in handcuffs while she was standing outside the residence. She was taken to the Lake County Jail, where she’s being held on $10,000 bond. Olmstead will appear in Lake County Court on June 14.

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