Brandie Gotch, a 31-year-old Arizona mother, was sentenced to 10 years in prison on Friday after pleading guilty to three counts of aggravated assault. The charges stemmed from an incident in February 2024, when Gotch ran over a 12-year-old girl with her pickup truck following a quarrel at Westgreen Park in Peoria, a suburb of Phoenix.
The Incident
The altercation began when Gotch’s children were involved in a fight at the park. As the situation escalated, other kids began egging them on and recording the incident. Gotch arrived at the park to pick up her kids and walked them back to her truck. During this time, a 14-year-old boy reportedly called her a name, which led Gotch to walk up to him and grab him by the hair, shaking his head while yelling at him, according to police.
Things escalated further when a second boy called her a derogatory name. In response, Gotch allegedly grabbed what appeared to be a sharp stick from her Chevy Silverado and chased the boy while yelling, “I am going to kill you and run you over.”
The Drive-By Attack
Gotch then corralled her four children into the pickup truck. As the second boy stood behind the truck, mocking her, he moved aside, but Gotch reportedly revved the engine and drove straight at him. He was able to jump out of the way, but Gotch ran over the 12-year-old girl’s leg, causing serious injury.
Prosecutors said that Gotch continued to drive through the park, where more than a dozen children were present. Some of them had to jump out of the truck’s path to avoid being hit.
Gotch’s Actions After the Incident
Following the incident, Gotch drove home but was later arrested by police. In an interview with detectives, Gotch admitted to driving through the park, saying she had driven “around the bathrooms” and “through the park field.” However, she claimed she did not think she had run over any of the children and added, “I hope not.”
Gotch explained that the altercation was the result of bullying by the children at the park, which she said had been ongoing and had been reported to both school officials and police, but nothing was done to stop it. She further claimed that the bullying had continued at the park, contributing to her anger.
The Children’s Testimonies
While Gotch insisted that she made sure her children were wearing seat belts in the truck, her children contradicted her. They told police that they were not restrained and had been “bouncing all over the vehicle” during the incident.
Prosecutors’ Comments
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell expressed relief that the situation wasn’t worse, saying, “This could have been a much more tragic situation; thankfully the worst injury in this was a sprained ankle and some bad scrapes and bruises.” She emphasized the importance of adults controlling their anger, stating, “It is never okay to take our rage out on a kid.”
The case serves as a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of uncontrolled anger and the need for adults to act responsibly, especially in front of children. Gotch’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of her actions, and her case highlights the importance of addressing bullying and ensuring that issues are handled in a more appropriate manner.
