Background: The Lake Region Law Enforcement Center in Devils Lake, North Dakota (Google Maps). Inset: Ashley Jerome (Lake Region Law Enforcement Center).
A woman in North Dakota who was angry over a prank a group of boys played on her son sped toward the boys and nearly struck them with her vehicle, authorities say.
Ashley Jerome has been charged in Nelson County District Court with four counts of reckless endangerment with extreme indifference, according to records reviewed by Law&Crime. She was booked into the Lake Region Law Enforcement Center and has since been released.
On Saturday, the Nelson County Sheriff's Office was called about a woman driving toward children in Aneta, North Dakota, a small city in the eastern part of the state. Deputies began investigating.
A witness said children in the neighborhood had taken a boy's bike, hidden it and then returned it as a prank, according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by local NBC affiliates KVLY and CBS affiliate KXJB, which collectively report under the umbrella of Valley News Live. Jerome is the mother of the alleged target of the prank, and the witness said she appeared very upset.
Jerome allegedly drove up to the other children at about 60 mph and yelled at them, causing one child to run away crying. A different witness reportedly recalled seeing Jerome's vehicle speeding down the road toward the children, with its high beams on, swerving and braking about 4 feet from the kids.
This witness said he jumped in front of the group and Jerome swerved around him, but when he grabbed her passenger window in an apparent attempt to learn what was going on, she said she didn't want to talk and drove off, per the court document. Jerome drove around the neighborhood for about 15 to 20 minutes, authorities added, citing a different witness who said he believed the vehicle was going to hit him.
When investigators caught up with Jerome, she reportedly told them she was at work when her son approached her and said another kid took his bike and threatened to hurt him. She added that she drove around looking for the other kids and was blocked from speaking with them, though she disputed that she was going close to 60 mph, according to authorities.
Deputies said Jerome showed remorse and said she was upset because her son was being bullied.
Jerome is scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing Nov. 13.