Altercation between two women with walking frames led to arrest

A collision between two women using walking frames earlier this month has resulted in a felony charge of intimidation and misdemeanor counts of assault and criminal mischief for Joyce Marie Renfroe, 62, of Hamilton, Montana. According to court records, Renfroe had words with her roommate, Jeanne Hatfield, at about 10pm on Dec. 8. Renfroe told an investigating officer later they had been fighting over finances.

At the time of the alleged incident, Hatfield was standing in the hallway with her walking frame when Renfroe exited her bedroom with her own walker. At that point, court records said that Renfroe told Hatfield to get out of the way or she was going to run her over. Renfroe then proceeded down the hallway with her walker and ran into Hatfield. Hatfield fell to the ground. Her walker and Life Alert necklace were both broken in the fall. She suffered some bruising as a result of the crash.



While on the ground, Hatfield told Renfroe she was going to call the police. Renfroe allegedly replied that if she did make that call, Renfroe would kill her. Hatfield told an officer the next day that she took the threat seriously. She said she was afraid of Renfroe and waited until her caretaker arrived at the home to call police. The responding officer saw the leg of Hatfield’s walker was broken and reported the bruising on the victim consistent with a fall to the ground.

Renfroe allegedly told the officer that the two had been fighting, but she said the collision was an accident that occurred as she was backing out of her bedroom with her walker. Renfroe did admit that she threatened to kill Hatfield if she called police, court records said. Acting Ravalli County Justice of the Peace Jennifer Ray allowed Renfroe to remain free on her own recognizance.