In a classic case of being hoisted by your own petard, a Rio Grande woman was charged with crimes based partially on footage from her own cameras.
According to the affidavit of probable cause related to her arrest, Wanda Kolondra, 57, came out of her house, holding up a sword, and started charging at a woman in her driveway.
The woman got back into her vehicle, and Kolondra continued toward it, yelling at the woman, the affidavit says. Kolondra then struck the vehicle with the sword, denting it.
The officer writing the report said he was able to see video on the victim’s cellphone and from a security camera on Kolondra’s house. Kolondra also completed a consent-to-search form, and the police recovered the sword used in the incident.
The incident happened on April 8. The defendant was indicted Aug. 5 on two charges, a third-degree count for possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, the sword, and unlawful possession of a weapon in the fourth degree.
The expression “hoist with his own petard” is used in Sharespeare’s “Hamlet.” A petard is a box used to hold an explosive device. The meaning is the bomb maker gets blown up by his own bomb.
In Hamlet, the meddling character Polonius hides behind a screen to spy on Hamlet, who discovers his presence. Thinking Polonius is his uncle Claudius, whom he wishes to kill, Hamlet plunges his sword through the screen, killing Polonius.
Contact the reporter, Christopher South, at csouth@cmcherald.com or call 609-886-8600, ext. 128.
