A Florida mother is facing charges after authorities accused her of attempting to run over a staff member at her child's school. The Charlotte County Sheriff's Office said the incident happened on November 2 at Port Charlotte High School.
Tarajayne Samuels-Catalan, 42, just dropped off her kid when she reportedly tried exiting the parking lot the same way she came. That's when a staff member stopped her due to buses coming in to unload other students. Officials said this conversation "agitated" Samuels-Catalan, who backed up and turned her vehicle around.
As she was moving her vehicle, a bus started pulling in, and was forced to wait for the suspect to finish turning around. Once Samuels-Catalan was done and the bus passed by, the mother turned her vehicle in the direction of the staff member and floored it, the sheriff's office claims.
Deputies allege the victim was forced to dive into nearby bushes to avoid getting struck at high speeds. The staff member later reported the incident to the school resource deputy, sparking an investigation.
Deputies arrested Samuels-Catalan on Tuesday (November 7) based on security footage and witness statements backing up the victim's report. When asked about the incident, the 42-year-old woman claims she prefers to leave the school through the entry to avoid speed bumps in the exit area, which damages her vehicle, according to officials. She also denied trying to strike the staff member with her vehicle.
Samuels-Catalan was charged with aggravated assault on a public or private education employee. She's currently being held at the Charlotte County Jail without bond.
“The pick-up and drop-off lines at the schools are frustrating at times, but we absolutely will not cut corners on ensuring the safety of the students and staff," deputies wrote in their statement. "I am glad that our victim here is uninjured, and I hope that this mother rethinks the example she is setting for her child.”