Inset: Nina Jaaskelainen (Volusia County Sheriff's Office). Background: The area in Florida where Jaaskelainen allegedly attacked a mother and her infant walking their dog (Google Maps).
A 54-year-old woman in Florida has been arrested after she allegedly threw coffee on a mother, her infant, and their dog because the victim's pet was not on a leash.
Nina Jaaskelainen was taken into custody last week and charged with two counts of battery, records show.
According to a probable cause affidavit, deputies with the Volusia County Sheriff's Office responded to a home in the 4100 block of Quail Ranch Road regarding a report of a recent assault that allegedly took place on the property about 8:35 a.m. on Nov. 14.
While en route, deputies were rerouted to the victim's nearby home in New Smyrna Beach, where she and her child went after the incident. The area is about 40 miles northeast of Orlando.
The victim told police she was walking her dog with her infant son when they approached Jaaskelainen's property on Quail Ranch Road. Jaaskelainen was outside with her own dog at the time.
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The victim said her dog was not on a leash but was "following closely alongside" her as they walked on an easement near the locked gate outside Jaaskelainen's property. As they got closer, the victim said Jaaskelainen "began yelling at her to put her dog on a leash."
"She stated the female then threw coffee on her dog while simultaneously stating her dog had been killed before," the affidavit says. "[The victim] then began to argue with the female. [The victim] observed the female advance towards her gate approximately 20 feet and proceeded to throw coffee on her and [her baby]."
Shortly after the alleged coffee-toss, the victim began recording the interaction with Jaaskelainen. She provided the footage to police, who said Jaaskelainen could be seen standing "behind a gated fence with a light-colored coffee mug in her hand, engaging in a verbal argument with [the victim]."
Deputies also said they "observed dried coffee" on the victim, her infant son, and her dog, which they said was "supporting her statement."
The victim then confirmed she wanted to press charges and deputies made contact with Jaaskelainen. When speaking to deputies, Jaaskelainen allegedly "confirmed that she had thrown coffee on [the victim's] dog," but she denied "intentionally throwing coffee" on either the victim or her baby.
"[Jaaskelainen] advised that her reason for throwing the coffee on [the] dog was that the dog was making her dog upset, and that she believed [the victim, her baby, and her dog] were on her property."
She was then taken into custody without incident and held on $1,000 bond, records show.
Jaaskelainen is scheduled to appear in court for a pretrial hearing on Dec. 1. Her criminal trial is currently slated to begin on Dec. 22.