The incident occurred during a state championship meet last week
The incident occurred during a state championship meet last week
A Virginia high school athlete has been charged with assault and battery following a baton incident that resulted in another competitor suffering a concussion at a recent track meet.
Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Bethany Harrison announced that I.C. Norcom High School senior Alaila Everett has been charged Wednesday.
The incident took place during the second leg of the 4×200-meter relay race at the Virginia State High School League Indoor State Championships in Lynchburg on March 4. In a video of the race, Brookville High School junior Kaelen Tucker — who suffered a concussion and possibly a fractured skull — was hit in the back of the head by Everett’s relay baton in the midst of the race. Tucker collapsed to the ground after being struck.
In speaking to WTKR News 3 in Norfolk, Everett stated that striking Tucker was an accident.
“She was touching me to the point where I was pumping my arm, and the baton was hitting her arm,” Everett said. “I lose my balance — my whole body turns, and then I pump my arms, so she got hit.”
Tucker also spoke to WTKR News 3 with a different recollection of the incident.
“As we got around the curve, she kept bumping me in my arm,” Tucker said. “When we finally got off the curve, I slowly started passing her, and she hit me with a baton.”
As a result of the viral video, Everett revealed that she has been harassed and received death threats. Everett’s team ended up disqualified from the race as a result of the incident.
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