MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A woman who shot at Marion County deputies while handcuffed in the back of a patrol car was sentenced to 40 years in prison.
Rheanna Harden received the sentence on Monday after previously entering a plea in connection with the incident that occurred during a traffic stop last year.
Harden pleaded no contest to charges including the attempted second-degree murder of a law enforcement officer.
The plea means Harden accepted a conviction for the crime without formally admitting guilt.
At the time of the shooting, she was already in custody for drug possession and driving with a suspended license.
Despite being restrained in handcuffs, Harden managed to access a small revolver that was hidden in her pants.
Video footage from inside the patrol car captured Harden squirming in the backseat as she reached for the weapon.
She also attempted to obstruct the deputy’s view by covering the vehicle’s internal camera with her visor.
Court records indicate that the arresting Marion County deputy performed multiple safety checks on Harden before she was placed in the vehicle.
The deputy reportedly checked her three times for weapons but failed to locate the concealed handgun.
During the subsequent struggle and shooting, the deputy involved was not seriously injured.
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