Woman accused of trying to run down kids says son was bullied
A report released Tuesday shows that a woman accused of attempting to mow down children with her minivan last week was angry her son was being bullied.
Jaquitta Madison, 36, told police that after school Friday she approached the mother of a child who had been bullying her son at Silvestri Junior High School. Several witnesses reported that Madison began fighting with the other mother, demanding the other boy step out of the car and fight Madison’s son, according to an arrest report from the Metropolitan Police Department.
When another child approached to break up the fight, he said Madison punched him in the face so he defended himself, knocking her to the ground, according to the report.
One witness told police that’s when Madison went to the trunk of her silver Dodge Caravan and pulled out a handgun. Several children told police they heard kids screaming “she’s got a gun” and Madison put the weapon away.
Video and witness statements confirmed for police that Madison and her son then got in her minivan. Police said she deliberately sped into students, some of whom jumped onto the hood to avoid being hit.
Madison told police she was going after the boy who pushed her to the ground.
“I’m not gonna lie, I did try to, like, hit him a little bit, with my car,” Madison told officers.
Police said she struck and injured four students with her minivan.
The boy Madison accused of bullying her son told police he made a fake Instagram account making fun of the son.
Two hours after the scene near Jack Leavitt Street and Le Baron Avenue, another man called police to report he watched Madison strike a pedestrian with her car.
Police said Madison rear-ended a man’s car at South Maryland Parkway and East Silverado Ranch Boulevard. When he got out of his car to confront the woman, a boy in the minivan asked “why are you following us,” he told police.
The driver, identified by police as Madison, made a U-turn and struck the man, the report said. The man said he had no major injuries.
Madison, who appeared in court Tuesday handcuffed and with her head lowered, told Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Ann Zimmerman that she will be able to post bond on a $20,000 bail and had already contacted house arrest officials.
As a condition of her release, Madison was ordered to stay away from the victims and Silverstri Junior High School.
Madison faces four felony counts of battery with a deadly weapon. She said her family would hire an attorney by her next court date, scheduled for Jan. 11.
Contact Sabrina Schnur at sschnur@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0278. Follow @sabrina_schnur on Twitter. Contact Katelyn Newberg at knewberg@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0240. Follow @k_newberg on Twitter.
