Jennifer Nelson, a 35-year-old mother from Shirley, Long Island, is being charged with attempted murder after allegedly using her car to run over a 15-year-old boy twice in the act of revenge for her son, who was reportedly bullied and robbed by the victim as reported by the NY Post. She is also accused of attempting to switch her leased 2020 Honda Passport in an attempt to avoid suspicion.
According to Law & Crime, Suffolk County District Attorney Raymond Tierney disapproved of Nelson’s actions, stating that she “thought she could take the law into her own hands and tried to kill a 15-year-old in the process”. He further pointed out that citizens should not attempt to take matters into their own hands but instead work together with law enforcement and his office to seek out justice.
It was later revealed that two teenagers were arrested in the robbery of her son, but the victim hit by Nelson’s car turned out to not be one of them.
The incident occurred at a Manhattan Bagel shop in October, following Nelson’s confrontation with a group of teenagers in the parking lot of a Dunkin’ Donuts that was across the street from William Floyd High School in Mastic Beach. During the confrontation she was reportedly armed with a knife and a small bat.
The fifteen-year-old boy then walked across the street to a bagel shop parking lot when Nelson allegedly drove her car at a high speed behind him and reportedly ran him over. Prosecutors state that she caused him to fall to the ground, and she “proceeded to drive over the victim, up onto a curb, reversed, drove over the victim again.” The district attorney alleges that Nelson running the boy over twice with the car proves her intent.
The boy was severely injured, suffering multiple fractures to his pelvis, six broken ribs, a punctured lung, and numerous bruises and abrasions.
Nelson’s lawyer, Paul D’Emilia, contested the District Attorney’s narrative of the event, claiming that it was “unfortunate and misleading,” as reported by the NY Post.
He argued that Nelson had gone to William Floyd High School in response to her son’s call about being bullied, physically attacked, and surrounded by tormentors.
Two hours later, when she was driving him home, a group of males was running through the streets. One of the males hit her car. D’Emilia claims that Nelson did not recognize the young man involved, and he ran off afterward.
Despite this, Nelson is charged with second-degree attempted murder, first-degree reckless endangerment, first-degree assault, and one count of fleeing the scene of an accident that resulted in serious physical injury.
A $250,000 cash bail or a $1 million bond was requested by the Suffolk County prosecutors, but Supreme Court Justice Timothy Mazzei allowed her to be released without bail.