HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) – A woman who swore at police officers, refused to give them her license and registration, then ran away, shouldn’t have been convicted of interfering with police, a divided appeals court ruled Wednesday.

The case stems from a 2003 car accident in which a driver was injured. The driver’s sister, Madalena Silva, rushed to the scene, where police said she made a dangerous turn as she parked.

Police also noticed that Silva didn’t have a front license plate. When approached, Silva told the officers to leave her alone.

“You Bridgeport cops are all the (expletive) same,” she said. “To protect and serve? Yeah right.”

She then refused to give her license or registration, making a scene and attracting dozens of onlookers as she lit into the police with several obscenities. She then ran away, got into another car, and took her brother to the hospital.

Silva was charged with breach of peace for her outburst and police said her behavior also amounted to interference. But the State Appellate court overturned the interference conviction 2-1 Wednesday.

The court ruled that Silva’s behavior didn’t interfere with an investigation because police could have gotten her information from her mother, who was at the scene, or from her car, which was left there.

“There is no evidence that the defendant fled the scene to avoid discovery or apprehension, but rather she brought her injured brother to a hospital,” the court wrote.

The breach of peace charge was not appealed.