OKEECHOBEE — A woman who threatened to slit a deputy’s throat and kill his wife and children will be completing her sentence in jail after violating probation. On Christmas morning 2018, Okeechobee County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Ryane Ammons was contacted by a man claiming his former girlfriend, Heather Ellsworth, was threatening to hit him with a weed eater. When Deputy Ammons responded to the call, he found Ellsworth not far from the residence, and he placed her under arrest for assault with a deadly weapon.

While en route, Ms. Ellsworth became agitated and began screaming, stating several times, “I should have never went back to the cabin.” She then became enraged at the deputy, stating, “If you don’t let me out of this car I’m going to slit your throat,” and “When I get out of jail, I’m going to kill you and your kids.” Then, she began banging her head on the partition between the seats. Upon arrival at the jail, she was charged with corruption by threat against a public servant.

Ms. Ellsworth was sentenced to 18 months probation in February of 2019 but almost immediately violated her probation. Because she violated her probation, she was sentenced last week to one year in jail. She will be credited with the four months and 20 days she has served.