Woman who confronted couple with racial slur accused of macing neighbor

IDANHA, Ore. — Cellphone video of Amber Rocco spread across the internet in December of 2018, after she verbally laid into an African American couple -- using a racial slur -- about the way they parked their car.

Rocco could also be seen holding a knife.

She was convicted of harassment, intimidation and unlawful use of a weapon.

Last week, sheriff's deputies arrested Rocco again after a neighbor claimed Rocco sprayed her with Mace.

Barbara Helderman-Kinney lives across the street from Rocco in the little mountain town of Idanha and says she was out shoveling snow when Rocco started yelling at her.

"I just kept digging and I don’t remember what I said, and I just kept digging, and she held it out (the Mace). And I looked up at her and she was holding it just like she’d hold a gun. I looked at her and said, 'Just do it.' And she did it," said Helderman-Kinney. "It was premeditated, because she had the Mace in her hand already, when she got out of the truck. And just her usual going around goading me and goading me and goading me."

Helderman-Kinney said Rocco also yelled at her to "go back to Mexico," but Lt. Michelle Duncan of the Linn County Sheriff's Office says the victim did not tell investigating deputies anything about Rocco making such statements, so at this time it is not considered a bias based crime.

Deputies arrested Rocco on Jan. 14 for unlawful use of a stun gun, tear gas or Mace.

Helderman-Kinney caught the incident on a new video surveillance system she and her husband recently installed and turned the video over to the sheriff's office.

Rocco was home Wednesday but didn't want to talk to the KATU news crew when they knocked on her door.

"You're trespassing. Get off this property now," was all she said through the door when asked if the claims neighbors were making about her behavior were true.

Rocco and her boyfriend did call the station later in the day and would not agree to do an on-camera interview, but said the claims made by other people in town were false, including the mace incident.