TEWKSBURY — A Tewksbury woman is facing a slew of charges after allegedly unleashing chaos at the Market Basket on Main Street by assaulting employees and police officers before vandalizing her holding cell.
According to the Tewksbury Police, 54-year-old Kristin Hartman drove drunk to the store on Tuesday, allegedly shoving staff, ramming a shopping cart into an employee, and hitting and kicking officers during her arrest. Once in custody, police said Hartman intentionally vomited on the cell floor and attempted to clog the toilet using her prison-issued shoes and a roll of toilet paper.
Hartman was arraigned on Wednesday in Lowell District Court before Judge John Coffey on two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, operating under the influence of alcohol, two counts of assault and battery with a dangerous weapon — identified as a shod foot and a shopping cart — vandalizing property, and assault and battery.
Hartman was released on her own recognizance with the condition she stay away from the Tewksbury Market Basket, have no contact with the victims in the case, and abstain from alcohol.
According to court documents, Hartman has not been assigned an attorney. A call placed to the phone number listed in court records was answered by a woman who, when asked if she was Hartman, responded by asking who was calling. After The Sun identified itself, the call abruptly ended.
Police said in an incident report that officers responded to the Market Basket at 1900 Main St. shortly before noon after receiving reports of a woman — later identified as Hartman — yelling and swearing at staff. While approaching Hartman inside the store, police said they witnessed a 36-year-old Market Basket employee push her to the ground. Hartman got back up and was shouting, drawing the attention of nearby shoppers.
Officers escorted Hartman outside where she said she had been assaulted by a store employee. Police said in their report that she smelled strongly of alcohol, describing “a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from her breath while interacting with her in the open air.” They also said they observed her eyes were glassy and bloodshot, and her speech was slurred.
The 36-year-old Market Basket employee told police that Hartman had hurled derogatory insults at her “for no apparent reason.” Police said the employee added that Hartman “pushed her first and she defended herself and pushed Kristin back.” A witness later corroborated the employee’s account, according to the report, stating that Hartman was yelling in the employee’s face before shoving her.
A store manager also told police that earlier in the incident, Hartman, who showed several signs of intoxication, had allegedly shoved her shopping cart into another employee in one of the aisles and was yelling at him for no apparent reason.
Neither employee was injured during the incident.
During the chaos, police said they learned that Hartman also yelled numerous profanities at an 86-year-old employee.
While officers were still gathering information inside the store, Hartman’s alleged disturbance continued outside.
According to the report, she was shouting expletives at police while on the sidewalk, telling one officer, “I hope you die.” Police said Hartman then got into the officer’s face and swung her arm, striking him on the left arm while yelling, “Don’t touch me (expletive),” despite the officer stating he had not made physical contact with her prior to that moment.
As a result of the alleged assault, police said they instructed Hartman to place her hands behind her back, but she resisted, attempting to pull away as a crowd of onlookers gathered in the busy parking lot. While officers were placing her into a cruiser, Hartman allegedly kicked an officer in the leg with what police described as a hiking boot. During this struggle, police said she also threatened to kill an officer’s family.
The disruption continued at the police station, where Hartman allegedly caused issues during booking. Police said she “was screaming for no legitimate purpose, was yelling obscenities and required multiple different officers to be present,” according to the police report.
While in her holding cell, police said that Hartman told an officer, “If you keep me in here, I’m going to puke all over your floor,” followed by, “Enjoy cleaning it up.”
Police said Hartman placed her prison-issued footwear and a roll of toilet paper into the toilet and attempted to flush the items. She also allegedly induced vomiting by placing her fingers down her throat.
Officers took photos of the aftermath and noted in their report that the cell was littered with a roll of wet toilet paper on the floor, several empty water bottles, two vomit-soaked blankets, and vomit spread across the floor.
As part of the investigation, surveillance footage reviewed by police showed Hartman driving to a nearby liquor store shortly before the incident at the grocery store. According to a store manager interviewed by police, she purchased a bottle of Tito’s vodka and returned to her vehicle. Police said the footage captured Hartman “slightly staggering” as she walked to and from the store, before driving to Market Basket.
Hartman is scheduled to return to court for a pretrial hearing on Nov. 21.
Follow Aaron Curtis on X @aselahcurtis, or on Bluesky @aaronscurtis.bsky.social.
Aaron Curtis
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