photo by: Kim Callahan/Journal-World

The Douglas County Judicial and Law Enforcement Center is pictured on Friday, June 26, 2026.

A Douglas County jury on Thursday convicted a woman of felony interference with law enforcement after she refused to obey officers who were attempting to arrest her last winter.

The incident occurred on Jan. 7, 2026, outside a Hy-Vee gas station, where the woman, Jaleigha Flowers, remained in her car and argued with Lawrence police officers, despite being told repeatedly to turn off the engine, exit the vehicle and put her hands up. At one point, as seen on video shown to the jury, the woman “casually” lit a cigarette, as prosecutor Cody Smith described it, while ignoring lawful commands. She also gave the officers the finger and continued to escalate the situation, Smith said, prompting officers to eventually approach the vehicle with a shield and force her from the car.

Sgt. Andrew Fennelly testified that it was the first time he had to use a police shield in such a way during his nearly two decades with the police.

Police were on the scene to arrest Flowers on suspicion of felony criminal threat, stalking and disorderly conduct, Smith said.

As they placed her on the ground and handcuffed her, she continued to yell at them, as jurors saw on a video: “Get the [expletive] off me!” And “Y’all are [expletive] weird!”

Her defense attorney, Matthew Fredrick, attempted to persuade jurors that despite being “rude” and confrontational she was actually “fearful” of the police and their guns.

Smith countered that she was simply defiant, not fearful, and that, regardless, fear is not a defense to disobeying lawful commands.

The jury started deliberations around 2:30 p.m. and returned with a guilty verdict by 4 p.m.

Flowers is scheduled to be sentenced on Dec. 7.