Arizona mom yelled, 'I am going to kill you,' as she drove through park, tried to run over kids: police
PEORIA, Ariz. - A Peoria mother is accused of attempted murder after police say she drove her pickup truck through a park, running over a child.
Brandie Gotch, 30, confronted a group of kids who were fighting with her children at Westgreen Park, near 87th Avenue and Butler Drive, on Feb. 27, court documents said.
Gotch reportedly grabbed a 14-year-old boy by the hair and chased another teen with a stick. Police say Gotch then got into her truck and drove recklessly through the park, while yelling, "I am going to kill you and run you over!" Gotch struck one child, running over her leg, before fleeing the scene.
"I’m very blown away right now," said Nina Castillo, who lives nearby. "Just knowing that someone was in this park, driving a car around, just trying to run over a child!"
Police were able to identify Gotch as a registered owner of the truck. Officers went to Gotch's home and took her into custody.
During an interview with investigators, Gotch claimed she saw the victims fighting with her children at the park. Gotch allegedly admitted to driving through the park but did not believe she hit a child.
"Brandie continued by stating her children are being bullied at school and have had issues with this group of kids before and reported it to the school and police but nothing has been done," court documents read. "[Gotch] thought the bullying was being continued at the park when she drove up and saw her daughter get hit by one of the other juveniles."
Brandie Gotch
Gotch also claimed her children were wearing seatbelts while in her truck, but investigators say her children told police they were unrestrained and "bouncing all over the vehicle" as Gotch drove through the park.
Gotch was arrested and booked into jail. She is accused of multiple charges, including attempted murder and endangerment. A judge has set a $250,000 cash-only bond for Gotch.