KITTY HAWK, N.C. (WAVY) — A woman faces several misdemeanors following an altercation Saturday where she attempted to steal a man’s American flag in Kitty Hawk, according to a magistrate’s order from Dare County General Court of Justice.
Rhonda Kay Cecille Loy, 58, of Kitty Hawk, has been charged with simple assault, attempted larceny and disorderly conduct. When 10 On Your Side reached out to her, she responded via text. Loy said she is “in the process of attaining a lawyer” and is unable to comment. Loy did express interest in speaking with 10 On Your Side at a later time.
The incident happened on “the shoulder of the road on the north side of US 158 near the intersection of Dogwood Trail in Kitty Hawk.” The area is near where a No Kings protest was held Saturday.
Loy was “engaging in violent conduct, conduct creating the threat of imminent fighting and violence,” which consisted of her “shouting derogatory/hate words,” according to charging documents.
“A lot of people that were driving by and applauding, which I was really happy to see,” Tony Greene said. “It’s a really red area here, so I thought that there would be a lot of boos. ‘God bless the king,’ I heard that a lot from cars that were driving by.”
One driver, according to video 10 On Your Side obtained by way of Outer Banks Insider and Donna Sills, chose to escalate her reaction. Police said Rhonda Loy, 58, drove up and started an altercation.
“She angrily pulled up, so quickly that my husband and I thought that she was going to drive into the crowd, and so we back stepped,” Green said, describing what he saw happen. “Then, surprisingly, she got out of the car and everyone just started saying, ‘Get back in the car, get back in the car.’ … She came over and grabbed the wrist of this elderly man. She was yelling at him, ‘That’s not your flag, that’s our flag.'”
Other protesters were seen trying to separate Loy from the group as she continues to tug at the flag, seemingly trying to take it from the man. Volunteers in blue vests later showed up. They tried to get Loy to go back in her car and reminded protesters to stay out of the streets. Loy got back in her car.”
As she started driving away, officers pulled up and spoke to her. She was led away from the protest area, then later arrested.
“If she had not gotten into a physical altercation or tried to take something from the individual, most likely, there would not have been any charges,” Kitty Hawk Police Chief Mike Palkovics said.
“She was gone and her car was gone, and that was the end of that and the rest of the rally continued on,” witness Martha Fletcher said.
Loy was released on a $1,500 bond. She is scheduled to appear in court on Nov. 21.
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