Woman Assaulted Grocery Store Workers, Officers: Tewksbury Police

TEWKSBURY, MA — A woman was charged with assaulting employees and police while causing a disturbance at a grocery store recently, police said.

Police were called to the Market Basket at 1900 Main St. at 11:55 a.m. Tuesday on a report of a woman yelling, swearing, and causing a disturbance.

Police said they located Kristin Hartman, 54, of Tewksbury, at the store's customer service counter.

Police investigated and reviewed surveillance footage, determining that Hartman pushed a Market Basket employee and hit another with a shopping cart while yelling profanities inside the store, according to police.

When police arrived, Hartman struck a sergeant with her hand and kicked an officer while actively resisting arrest.

She was eventually taken into custody without injury.

The investigation also determined that Hartman was under the influence and had driven to the store, police said.

Hartman continued to scream expletives when she was booked at the police station and intentionally clogged the toilet in her holding cell with paper products and her prisoner shoes, according to police.

She was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, operating under the influence of liquor, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shod foot), vandalizing property, assault and battery, and assault and battery with a dangerous weapon (shopping cart).

Hartman was arraigned Tuesday in Lowell District Court, where she was released on personal recognizance on the condition that she abstain from alcohol, have no contact with victims in the case, and stay away from Market Basket.