A North Carolina woman is facing assault charges after intentionally driving her car into a group of three Black teenagers playing basketball in their own yard.
A Pitt County Sheriff's Office news release reported one of the teenagers was injured and taken to Vidant Medical Center for treatment.
The driver of the vehicle—Daina Renee Forrest of Greenville—was charged with three counts of assault with a deadly weapon and felony possession of cocaine.
#NorthCarolina woman threatened Black teens with a 🔪 knife & cussing at them drove into the teens playing basketball https://t.co/MBaFBAZs8c— Rhonda Hansome (@Rhonda Hansome) 1619024419.0
@tariqnasheed My ❤🙏🏽 goes out to these kids... and whoever is still pitching crack in 2021.— Chris Coffey 👨🏽💻☕ (@Chris Coffey 👨🏽💻☕) 1619034351.0
According to the local sheriff, Forrest had been driving around and threatening the teens by waving a knife and cursing at them before deliberately swerving her car off the road and into the yard to strike the teens.
Sgt. Lee Darnell, a sheriff's office spokesman, confirmed to the Associated Press all three teens playing basketball were Black.
@tariqnasheed We must take point in training our families as brothers VERY seriously! These race soldiers,& their d… https://t.co/qqfJUcxMyu— 🌍$IR G.B.$.🇺🇸 (@🌍$IR G.B.$.🇺🇸) 1619023270.0
@tariqnasheed Yet they said they don’t believe it was race related but offered no motive.— Saucee Beauty (@Saucee Beauty) 1619023753.0
When Forrest—who is White—was asked if the attack was racially motivated, she said:
"I don't believe it was a race hate crime, no."
Twitter remained skeptical of her assessment.
@tariqnasheed Daina Renee Forrest was driving around Greenville, 80 miles east of Raleigh & threatening the teens w… https://t.co/y9LbE8j2n8— Blk_2def🇺🇸✊🏾 (@Blk_2def🇺🇸✊🏾) 1619022321.0
@thehill No...doesn't sound the least bit racially motivated...🙄...seriously?!— Robin Comfort * Fully Vaccinated * Still masking * (@Robin Comfort * Fully Vaccinated * Still masking *) 1618937545.0
@thehill How can anyone say this wasn't a race hate crime? Did she hit any white boys?— Linda (@Linda) 1618946072.0
@thehill Racism, this is racism...— cpa (she/her) (@cpa (she/her)) 1618937252.0
@tariqnasheed The white sheriff don’t believe race was a factor Bc white women drives her car in to white kids all… https://t.co/U4OgniQoIE— BEYNCEcallmeDVA (@BEYNCEcallmeDVA) 1619023487.0
@tariqnasheed “Darnell said he does not believe race was a factor. “I don’t believe it was a race hate crime, no.”… https://t.co/YVfQLDRdSe— Chayil Yahudah (@Chayil Yahudah) 1619031733.0
@tariqnasheed How more hateful can you be trying to kill a group of folks? Come on now 🤦🏾♂️— Gold Merchant 🇺🇸 (@Gold Merchant 🇺🇸) 1619023181.0
Local law enforcement did not indicate whether Forrest would have a hate crime allegation added to her charges.
You can watch the news report here:
According to KTLA 5, Darnell said he didn't know if Forrest had an attorney who would speak on her behalf.
Families of the three teens involved have not publicly commented on Sunday's incident which occurred around 5 p.m.
Forrest was booked into Pitt County Detention Center under a $230,000 secured bond.