Woman Charged With Attempted Murder After Hitting Teens (after golf ball hits her SUV)

News4Jax ^ | 12/5

[ambrose]

Police: Woman Charged With Attempted Murder After Hitting Teens

POSTED: 9:13 pm EST December 5, 2004

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- A St Augustine woman is charged with attempted murder after she allegedly ran down two brothers and tried to hit a third brother after a seemingly harmless incident with a golf ball Sunday afternoon.

According to the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office, Isiah Grayer, 14, and 16-year-old twins Justin and Jamel Marshman, were bouncing a golf ball in a parking lot on State Road 16 about 2:45 p.m. when it got away from them and hit an SUV owned by Kathy Allen, 47.

According to authorities, there were no damage to the Chevrolet Blazer, but the brothers went over to apologize, then turned to walk away.

According to witnesses, Allen started driving to the other side of the parking lot and accelerated towards the boys, driving over several curbs and through the landscaping to hit two of the boys and knocked down a light pole. Police said she then turned her SUV towards the third teenager, but the vehicle got stuck in drainage ditch and the third boy was able to run away.

Grayer was flown to Shands-Jacksonville Medical Center, where he was reported in critical condition with head injuries. Justin Marshman is at Flagler Hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Whitley was not injured.

Along with witness statements, investigators found acceleration marks on the road.

Allen was questioned, then arrested and charged with attempted murder. She'll appear before a St. Johns County judge Monday morning.

[Age of Reason]

Whenever someone tailgates me, I just change lanes.

It's like, who cares.

If they want to get themselves killed by driving like maniacs, I'm not going to stand (or drive) in their way.

And over the last few years I've become amazed by how many women scowl at me as I let them zoom by me.

Now it seems even women are being driven mad by modern culture.

[myvoice]

There is nothing worse then following behind someone in the left lane in a 45mph and they are going 30mph oblivious to their surroundings!
On that same token you can be going 50mph in a 45mph and have someone pushing you. You said that does not give them a license to speed, but can you be ticketed in this instance by not changing lanes? Especially if you are in rush hour traffic where there is no where to go.
I've never seen anyone pulled over for going too slow, but going 30mph in a 45mph seems like a pretty good reason for getting pulled over.

[I Drive Too Fast]

Not true. I have an SUV, I go the speed limit or 5 miles over, and I am tailgated every time I leave my house. The people who tailgate me are young people in rotten old cars, middle aged women on cell phones in SUVs, guys in pickups trucks, and monster delivery trucks.

Just rewire your vehicle. Hook up the brake lights with your gas pedal. Step on the gas and the brake lights come on.
Seriously, I either turn on my emergency flashers or slow down. After being rear-ended by a damn tailgating idiot, I hate them all the more.

[mommadooo3]

"If you can read this, you are too damn close".

Some variations on that could be..... 'If you can read this, you're too damned close. But that's OK, I'm a good aim'........... too close. KNOW that I have PMS and am reloading.

Tailgaters are ALWAYS in a hurry to take that speeding ticket meant for ME.

[myvoice]

"As soon as I get in the car, I locked all doors and then fasten my seat belt. I look to see if there is anyone out near the car, too."

Same here.
My kids know when it is dark we hustle in the minivan and close the doors. I have power locks so as soon as I open my door I hit the lock button. I won't even hit the power unlock on my key chain until I am right next to my minivan. I wouldn't want someone gaining entry into my van. If I can't park next to the door in a well lighted area, I will generally wait. Fortunately for me, where I live gives me that luxury. I have gone on vacation where you have to park and hike to where your going. I do my best to be safe, but if I only had to rely on myself, I'd be in trouble. I pray for and thank God for our safety.

[Sir_Ed]

"I've encountered FReepers on some of the forums (libertarians?) who insist that no matter what, the car behind you has the right of way if they are going faster and they will insist that you can be ticketed for not moving out of their way (even if you are already speeding)."

That's the law in Oregon, thank God.

The roads are filled with self-righteous liberals bound and determined to go exactly the speed limit, in the passing lane, no matter what the natural flow of traffic is.

You MUST pull over to the slow lane if there are cars in back of you who wish to pass.

Ed

[Allosaurs_r_us]

the only difference between a kiss-@$$ and a brown-noser is bad brakes

nice! Mikey likes it!

[Allosaurs_r_us]

Is that law in TX? I live in Arizona.

I think in Texas you are supposed to use the left lane for passing situations, otherwise you stay in the right lanes. it says: "slower traffic keep left on all of their hwy signs"

[diamond6]

I have a question for you all, what do you do when you are behind someone who is obviously drunk.

One time I called 911 and gave them the info, which is hard while your driving and trying to follow them. He eventually lost me. What do the police say to do, I'm just curious.

[Allosaurs_r_us]

Autobahn rules are common courtesy. If you can get into the right lane, get into the right lane

Exactly! I run into drivers who will not move over even if there is no traffic in the right lanes. When everybody else moves to the right to pass them they act as though they don't understand why everyone is upset with them.

[Hot Tabasco]

a seemingly harmless incident with a golf ball

How disgusting! A 4 wheel drive SUV and she missed them! Lucky for those delinquents it wasn't me.......

yea, I need anger management but at least I have taken the first step in admitting it.

[Rob_DSM]

Your response is very simple, and it happens to be the easiest and safest way to avoid people going nuts.

It seems like a lot of people in this thread have some serious issues if they feel they have the need to potentially cause an accident or worse have someone killed because they feel so insecure. It's a public traffic lane people. Our highways are becoming more and more congested, and we don't have the means to build enough lanes to keep up. If you're blocking the flow of traffic, you need to get over or else you're causing major problems behind you. Just get out of the way and let that guy and everyone else in the vicinity move on with their lives without incident. Jeez. Anyone remeber that old Goofy cartoon where he became Mr. Wheeler when he got behind the wheel of his car? Someone also mentioned packing above. It would be wise for all the road warriors in this thread to remember that tailgaters pack, too.

Just move it over, and 10 seconds later the situation is over. Even if you're not a left lane hogger on the freeway, just minding your business on a regular city street, it's best to not cause a confontation. Just drive normally and maybe allow some room for the guy to get around you. It's not worth it.

[Rob_DSM]

I hate it when people follow you on the side like that. You speed up, and they speed up. Even worse is when they follow in your blind spot. I sometimes slowly drift over to the left, acting as though I didn't see them, not all the way into their lane of course, then I swerve back and act like I didn't see them. Funny thing is, they still keep it parked in the same place. I think in general the majority of the problems on the road are from ignorance and inattentiveness.

[Allosaurs_r_us]

Don't worry, if some in congress have their way those illegals will soon have driver's licences. They'll drive better then...and will have insurance too! /sarcasm

I don't understand why this seems to be such a big deal to our politicians. Even GW is dragging his feet on this issue. It is common sense to deny drivers licenses to illegals. It is even a recommendation of the 9/11 lynching party, er... I mean commision. How difficult can it be to adapt this clause in the bill? Why is congress and even the pres ignoring this? Anyone got any ideas? Illegal emigration is a big problem, especially at the Mexican Border. What gives?

[Allosaurs_r_us]

I think that most here know that this woman is innocent!

Huh? Please explain.

[Rob_DSM]

I've done that twice. Once in San Antonio, I followed this guy while on the phone for like 10 minutes, and the operator never told me to back off or whatever. I was trying to keep up, but not get too close to cause the guy to panic. Eventually, I was on the 410 freeway, and I saw a cop coming up fast behind me, and the operator asked if I could see him. I told her yes, and moved over for the cop to take over. I went down the way and u-turned a few miles down, and when I made it back to the area, I could see the cops (there were like 3 of them now) had the guy pulled over. Get this, he stopped his car in the middle of the freeway, and he was on his stomach with the cops aiming their guns at him. Crazy!

Another time I called when a drunk in Austin almost rear ended me at what I estimate to be ~100 mph ( I was going about 75). I called 911, and the operator got mad and told me not to follow. She asked me for the info on the car and the direction of travel and the call was over. I followed the guy all the way to his apartment complex, and I called again to update the operator about his definite location. I ended up talking to the guy to buy time for the police to show up (which was stupid on my part). I let the guy go seeing as he was having a hard enough time talking or standing up, and waited for at least another 20 minutes. The police never showed. I was really upset about that, but I never got around to filing any sort of complaint.

My guess is that most of the time, they are instructed to not encourage you to follow, as it might be a liability for the department. Sometimes, you have to do what is right, though, regardless of the law.

[ppaul]

Woman Charged With Running Down Boys Who Hit SUV With Golf Ball

ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. -- A woman ran over two teenage brothers after they accidentally hit her sport utility vehicle with the golf ball they were bouncing in a parking lot, officials said, leaving one of the boys with life-threatening injuries.

Isiah Grayer, 14, and his 16-year-old twin stepbrothers, Justin and Jamel Marshman, were bouncing the golf ball in a shopping center parking lot Sunday afternoon when it went astray and struck a sport utility vehicle driven by Kathy Feaganes Allen, 47, St. Johns County sheriff's Deputy Greg Suchy said.

---

• Click here for more strange stories, images

  ---

  Suchy said no damage was done, and the boys apologized and began to walk away. Allen started to drive away, but suddenly made a U-turn, ran over a median and struck Grayer, causing severe injuries, and Justin Marshman before knocking over a light pole, Suchy said.

  She then drove after Jamel Marshman, crossing two medians and striking a utility box before her SUV stopped in a ditch, Suchy said. The boy ran away and was not struck.

  Witness Russell McPhee said Allen accelerated to hit the boys.

  "She charged them," he said. "This was the most deliberate act."

  

  McPhee said he yelled at Allen to stay where she was when she got out of her car.

  "After she ran them down, she got out of the car and lit a cigarette like a movie star," he said. "She watched all three of (the boys) just lying there."

  Allen then used Terry Gerspch's cell phone to call her husband. Gerspch said Allen seemed unfazed.

  "She was as calm as anything," she said. "She said the boys were throwing rocks at her car."

  McPhee said Jamel, the uninjured brother, ran over to Allen's car and confronted her.

  "He didn't get physical with her," he said. "He just kept asking 'Why? Why did you do this?"'

  A judge ordered Allen held without bail Monday on three counts of attempted murder. She is being represented by the St. Johns County Public Defender's Office, which did not immediately return a call Monday seeking comment.

  Grayer was in critical condition Monday at Shands Hospital in Jacksonville. Justin Marshman was treated for non-life threatening injuries at Flagler Hospital.

[ppaul]

"He just kept asking 'Why? Why did you do this?"...Grayer was in critical condition Monday at Shands Hospital in Jacksonville.

Why indeed?

[Allosaurs_r_us]

Hope you don't have to pay for your stupidity with your life

Exactly. Nuff said! Sounds like this person is part of the problem, not part of the solution.

[Cogadh na Sith]

I ride a motorcycle--riding in someone's blind-spot will get me killed. I usually accelerate to spend the least possible time in the blind spot while passing.

I have noticed that cars pull over to the right hand lane more quickly and let me pass on a motorcycle than when I'm in a car or truck.

I don't know why that is--maybe it's the super-bright halogen light on the bike....