Sarasota Driver Faces Felony Battery Charge | Tampa News

A Sarasota driver, Anita Valdez, is speaking out after being charged with felony battery following a tense confrontation with a parking enforcement officer who allegedly blocked her car and pursued her when she asked for ID. Valdez insists she never touched the officer and believes he escalated the situation. This isn’t the first time the same attendant has been involved in a dispute — previously, police found no wrongdoing by a driver he blocked in a garage, and he was investigated for false imprisonment. Valdez calls for accountability and transparency from city officials, arguing the officer’s actions were unprofessional and aggressive. In response, Sarasota is rolling out mandatory de-escalation and customer service training for all parking attendants, in partnership with the police department. The officer remains employed while the case is under review, and Valdez is set to appear in court hoping her charges will be dismissed, especially given the prior incident. Listen in comfort:Get a discount on a Soli Pillow: http://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/8c8554f5ef0de7e1