An Arizona mother is facing charges of attempted murder after a shocking incident where she allegedly ran over a child's leg and threatened several others at a local park in Peoria. As FOX 10 Phoenix reported that Brandie Gotch, 30, engaged in a violent confrontation with a group of kids at Westgreen Park after seeing them fight with her children.
The chaos unfolded on February 27, when Gotch is accused of physically assaulting a 14-year-old boy and chasing another with a stick before escalating to vehicular violence. Witnesses and victims recounted her allegedly yelling threats such as, "I am going to kill you and run you over!" during the rampage. The situation escalated rapidly, Gotch's white Chevy Silverado became a weapon as she drove through the park grounds, a detail captured in cell phone footage. a nearby resident, Nina Castillo, expressed shock to FOX 10 Phoenix, stating, “Just knowing that someone was in this park, driving a car around, just trying to run over a child!"
Following the incident, police tracked Gotch to her home. In a statement obtained by AZFamily, during the interrogation, Gotch claimed she did not realize she had hit a child. She justified her presence at the park, citing her children's ongoing issues with bullying which had been reported to both the school and police.
Gotch's children were also present during the event and were allegedly unrestrained in the vehicle, contradicting Gotch's claims that they were safely buckled in. The children told police they were “bouncing all over the vehicle” as she drove through the park. According to FOX 10 Phoenix, Gotch has been booked into jail with multiple charges, including attempted murder and endangerment, and a judge has set a $250,000 cash-only bond.
The magnitude of the charges reflects the severity of the acts Gotch is accused of. She’s been charged with six counts of endangerment, four counts of aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, and one count of attempted first-degree murder. This follows her alleged attempt to dispense her own brand of justice after witnessing her children being bullied. The case continues to develop as officials and the community grapple with the troubling events that transpired.
