A cab ride home turned into a family melee on two law enforcement officers. A guilty verdict
was returned just after 7 p.m. last night for Suzanne Kaplan and Robert Kaplan, both found
guilty as charged of Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer and Resisting/Obstructing an Officer
without Violence. The defendants were jointly prosecuted during a two-day trial in Collier
County.
It all started on the evening of June 17, 2018, when Jonathan Kaplan, 26, the son of the co-defendants,was trespassed from a bar in Naples. He got a cab ride home but when the driverpulled up to his gated community, Jonathan said he needed to get money from home but had no
way to let the driver through the gate. He got out of the car and did not come back. After about
30 minutes the cab driver called 911.
Two deputies with the Collier County Sheriff’s Office arrived on scene. The driver was able to
identify Jonathan because he left his trespass warning and identification in the cab. The deputies
made contact with Jonathan and his mother, Suzanne Kaplan, at their home, and told them to pay
the fare. They refused and Jonathan was handcuffed. His mother then put her finger in the face of
one of the deputies and pushed him in the chest as he was attempting to handcuff her. Jonathan
then tried pulling away and started screaming.
Suzanne Kaplan kept fighting with the officer and was placed on the ground. The front door of
the house then opened and a German Shepherd was let out by Robert Kaplan. The dog started
growling and nipping at the two deputies. Robert then came out of the house and ordered the
deputy to let go of his wife. He then ran full speed into the deputy. The deputy gained control of
Robert and got him on the ground but then Robert grabbed the deputy’s leg and tried to pull him
down.
Meanwhile the other deputy turned his taser on, just to scare the dog away. The dog went away
but came back at the deputies. Jonathan told the deputy he would help get control of the dog but
when given a chance to, he started screaming for his brother.
Robert Kaplan was still fighting with the other deputy, punching and kicking him. Back-up
deputies then arrived and the family was arrested. The melee had gone on for about 10 minutes.
As a result of this case Jonathan Kaplan was prosecuted through drug court and adjudicated
guilty for one count each of Battery on a Law Enforcement Officer and Resisting without
Violence.
Sentencing is scheduled for April 24th for Suzanne and Robert Kaplan.
Assistant State Attorney Laura Mason and Assistant State Attorney Kiely Keesler prosecuted the
cases.
Samantha Syoen
Communications Director
State Attorney’s Office
ssyoen@sao20.org
239-533-1125