Tarajayne Samuels-Catalan (Mug shot from Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office)
A 42-year-old Florida mother faces criminal charges after she allegedly hit the gas, revving the engine, and sped toward a high school staff member, forcing him to dive into bushes to evade the oncoming vehicle, during morning drop-off last week.
Tarajayne Samuels-Catalan is accused of trying to hit a staffer at Port Charlotte High School on Nov. 2.
The suspect then tried to exit the parking lot the same way she entered.
She was stopped by a staff member who told her she could not exit that way due to buses coming in to unload students, authorities said in a news release.
“This exchange agitated the woman, who eventually backed up and turned her vehicle around, leading the staff member to believe she was leaving as instructed,” the news release said. “While this occurred, a bus had begun pulling in and was forced to wait for the suspect’s vehicle to clear.”
Once clear, the bus continued on its route to let students off.
As the bus passed, the woman turned her vehicle in the direction of the staff member and hit the gas, revving the engine and traveling at a high rate of speed toward him.
The member was forced to dive into bushes to evade the oncoming vehicle.
He reported the incident, including the suspect’s license plate, to the school deputy and an investigation was launched.
Authorities said a witness and security footage corroborated the incident.
She allegedly told deputies she prefers to exit through the entry area to avoid speed bumps that “cause damage to her vehicle” and denied trying to strike the man with her vehicle.
“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,” Charlotte County Sheriff Bill Prummell said in the news release. “I am glad that our victim here is uninjured, and I hope that this mother rethinks the example she is setting for her child.”
Samuels-Catalan was charged with aggravated assault on a public or private education employee and was being held at the Charlotte County Jail without bond.
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