Fight Over Horse Leads To Arrests Of 2 Women: Middletown PD

MIDDLETOWN, CT — A fight over a horse led to the arrest of two women Saturday morning in Middletown, according to police. At about 9:35 a.m. on May 5, Middletown Police responded to the 100 block of Wilcox Road on the report of a disturbance. It was the fifth time within the past two months that police have responded to a disturbance between the two women but it was the first time the dispute became violent, according to the police report.

In the latest incident, witnesses told police that they heard Jaelyn Hect screaming at the property owner, Debra Boutwell, about her horse still being inside the barn. The witnesses said they called 911 after seeing Hect approaching Boutwell and shoving her, according to the police report.

Hect told police that she did yell at Boutwell, saying that her horse should have been outside and she then went at Boutwell with her phone out to record the incident, according to police. The video allegedly shows Hect speaking loudly and aggressively toward Boutwell, who then slapped the phone from her hand before Hect shoved her, according to police.

Police said there is an ongoing issue between the two women and that Hect is a boarder at the farm and is allegedly in violation of the agreement and several months behind on payments. Boutwell told police that she was instructed by Hect not to take her horse out or to feed it because it needs special meds.

Police have also responded to incidents between the two women on March 6, April 6, April 10 and April 17 but this appeared to be the first time it became violent, the report states.

Hect, 32, and Boutwell, 49, were each charged with second-degree breach of peace and are scheduled to appear in court on May 16.

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