Miami-Dade nurse accused of attacking co-worker at assisted living facility

A nurse at a Miami-Dade assisted living facility was arrested after she allegedly went on a rampage, attacking a co-worker, smashing televisions and battling with deputies, authorities said.

Blanca Belinda Rivera-Lopez, 29, was arrested Tuesday on charges including battery, grand theft, criminal mischief, assaulting an officer, and resisting an officer without violence, an arrest report said.

The alleged incident happened at an assisted living facility in the 11900 block of Southwest 118th Street.

According to the report, Rivera-Lopez had been involved in a verbal dispute with other employees and at one point, she removed a shoe and used it to hit another employee on the top of her head then punched the other employee in the face.

As the alleged victim fled the home, she dropped her $400 prescription glasses, and Rivera-Lopez started smashing them then grabbed the victim by her ankle, which caused the victim to fall on the front porch area, the report said.

Rivera-Lopez then started destroying property in the home including two televisions, which she threw onto the driveway, the report said.

Deputies responded and found Rivera-Lopez in nurse scrubs walking on the sidewalk, noting that she “appeared extremely agitated, and was yelling incomprehensively,” the report said.

Rivera-Lopez took a fighting stance and told deputy to fight her, then started swinging her fists at the deputy trying to hit him in the face, the report said.

Another deputy deployed their Taser on her and Rivera-Lopez was struck and fell to the ground, as deputies tried to place her in restraints.

Deputies used “pain compliance” which entailed punching her in the face to place her into custody, the report said.

After she was taken into custody it was discovered Rivera-Lopez had the victim’s phone in her pocket, the report said.

As she was being placed in a patrol vehicle she tried to kick a deputy, but the deputy was able to avoid the kick, the report said.

Rivera-Lopez was then booked into jail. Records showed her bond was set at $6,500.