COCOA, Fla. (CBS12) — A Florida woman is accused of swerving her vehicle toward a group of children in what she allegedly referred to as “target practice.”
According to an arrest report from the Cocoa Police Department, officers made contact with the suspect, identified as Pamela Dresser, on June 7. Deputies said Dresser was highly agitated. The arrest affidavit says that while law enforcement was speaking with Dresser, someone yelled that she had swerved her car toward children who were playing in the street.
While speaking with officers, Dresser denied swerving toward the children. According to the arrest report, she said she made a wide U-turn in an effort to avoid hitting a yellow cart on the side of the road. The report states that after passing the children, she continued driving and entered a gravel lot, where she performed donuts.
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The arrest report says Dresser admitted to making the “target practice” comment but attempted to downplay it by saying, “It was a joke.”
According to the criminal complaint, officers also spoke with a witness who said she was sitting outside her residence watching the children play on the sidewalk when she saw Dresser swerve toward four children, causing them to run toward the house.
The witness said she yelled at Dresser, “What are you doing?” the complaint states. Dresser allegedly responded by raising her middle finger and calling the victims a racial slur.
According to the criminal complaint, Dresser then said, “Yes, I did try to run you f****** over.”
Dresser now faces several charges, including aggravated assault while evidencing prejudice, child abuse without great bodily harm and corruption by threat against a public servant.