65-Year-Old Texas Woman Arrested Again After Second Mask Standoff

A woman who was arrested in Texas last week after she allegedly refused to follow a bank’s policy to wear a mask has been arrested again.
65-Year-Old Texas Woman Arrested Again After Second Mask Standoff
A woman was arrested last week after she allegedly refused to follow a bank's policy to wear a mask and refused to leave, in Galveston, Texas, on March 11, 2021. Galveston PD
Isabel van Brugen
Updated:

A woman who was arrested in Texas last week after she allegedly refused to follow a bank’s policy to wear a mask has been arrested again after a second mask standoff at a different location, according to reports.

According to Texas City police, 65-year-old Terry Wright of Grants Pass, Oregon, was arrested at an Office Depot store in Texas City on Wednesday morning—six days after she was arrested at a Galveston bank after she allegedly refused to wear a mask and subsequently refused to leave the facility when asked by police.

Employees at the Office Depot on Emmett F Lowery Expressway called Texas City Police saying that a maskless customer was refusing to leave the store.

When officers arrived at the scene, one recognized the 65-year-old from now-viral footage of Wright that was released by the department on March 12 following her initial arrest.

According to FOX 26, the officers realized that Wright was wanted on two outstanding warrants—resisting arrest and criminal trespass—from the March 11 incident, and took her to the Galveston County Jail.

Police spokesman Cpl. Allen Bjerke said that she declined to cover her nose and mouth with a mask.

No further charges were filed in the Wednesday incident.

Gov. Greg Abbott last week lifted statewide orders requiring people to wear face masks in public in Texas, declaring businesses should decide for themselves which COVID-19 precautions to take on their properties. Many businesses have kept their own mask rules in place.

In last week’s incident, Wright accused a police officer of taking away her rights. Body camera footage of the ordeal showed that when the officer attempted to take out his handcuffs, Wright tried to evade him.

“Wow, not wearing a mask people … This is what they do to [you]!” she’s later heard saying while being escorted to a police vehicle.

Local reports stated that Wright was taken to the hospital for a foot injury she sustained while being arrested.

Wright’s bond was set at $3,000 on the misdemeanor charges, police said. She was held in the Galveston County Jail on Wednesday afternoon.

Jack Philips and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Isabel van Brugen
Isabel van Brugen
Reporter
Isabel van Brugen is an award-winning journalist. She holds a master's in newspaper journalism from City, University of London.
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