High school track athlete charged for viral baton whacking says it was an accident​on March 13, 2025 at 6:38 pm

A U.S. high school track athlete is facing a misdemeanour charge of assault and battery after hitting a fellow competitor in the head with a baton during a relay race.

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Alaila Everett was running the second leg of the 4×200-meter relay when her baton appeared to strike Kaelen Tucker in the back of her head on March 4 during the Virginia State High School League Championships, WSLS reported.

The video of the incident has since gone viral, but as far as Everett is concerned, she did not mean to hurt Tucker and simply lost her balance.

In an interview with ABC News, Everett apologized and said she didn’t mean to hit her competitor. As she explained her actions with her right arm in the air as if she was running, she said, “I was like this in the air, I catch my balance … and she cutting in (as she motions her arm coming down) and she got hit.”

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Tucker was disqualified from the race and has faced intense online scrutiny, including death threats and harassment according to her, something that is tough for her father, Keith, to watch.

He came to his daughter’s defence regarding why she didn’t immediately apologize at the track, something Tucker’s mother was upset about.

“She wants my daughter to run over there in front of all these people that may jump on her because they thought she attacked the other runner,” said Keith Tucker.

Tucker has been served with court paper and will have to appear in court to face her charge.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/high-school-runner-baton-charge-virginia/story?id=11973331

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