A Clermont woman was arrested after allegedly causing more than $2,000 in damage during a supposed wellness check.
Officers responded to a residence on Retriever Drive for a potential burglary involving 39-year-old Carrie Noell Deckard around 8:35 p.m. Tuesday, according to an arrest report from the Clermont Police Department.
The homeowner advised that Deckard was trying to enter through the front door. Deckard’s former stepchildren, who were currently inside the home, informed her that Deckard had gone to the back patio and came inside through the rear sliding glass door. Her former stepchildren had barricaded themselves inside a bathroom out of fear, the report said.
The homeowner knew Deckard normally carried a firearm, and she believed her soon-to-be ex-husband had been communicating with her. Due to the pending divorce, the homeowner had a court order that granted her sole rights to the residence. Her former partner had no legal authority over or legal rights to the residence, meaning he should not have invited Deckard to the home, the report said.
Upon arrival, the officer established a perimeter around the residence. Dispatch then got a call from a neighbor who had seen Deckard enter and exit the home through the sliding glass door before walking through the side yard. At the same time, the officers saw Deckard coming toward the front of the residence while carrying a purse over her shoulder, the report said.
Deckard told law enforcement that she entered the home to check on the former stepchildren. She believed she had permission to do so because the homeowner’s ex-husband permitted her, the report said.
During an interview, she admitted to having a firearm, but she could not remember if it was in her vehicle parked in the driveway or in her purse. A search of the latter yielded a black Smith & Wesson Bodyguard .380 caliber handgun, three small baggies with 0.4 grams of cocaine, and a cut section of plastic straw, the report said.
The homeowner later returned to the residence and walked through to find any damage caused by Deckard. She observed broken cabinet doors, a hole in a wall from forcing open a bedroom door, damage to a windowsill, and additional damage to the stairwell walls. The estimated cost of repair totalled $2,000 to $2,500, the report said.
Deckard was arrested on charges of possession of cocaine, criminal mischief and possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony. The Indiana native was booked at the Lake County Jail and released after posting $10,000 bond.