Authorities in Bartow County arrested a school board member after she allegedly hit a teenage girl with her car.
Bartow County sheriff's investigators have released surveillance video from incident, which occurred in the parking lot of a Walmart in Cartersville. The footage appears to show a car striking a person holding a parking space.
Authorities say that driver was Bartow County school board member Angela Cornett and the person trying to hold the space was a 17-year-old Adairsville High School student. Officials said that words were exchanged between the two before the incident.
"The deputy on the scene actually went and watched the video before he made any charges against Miss Cornett and from watching the video, it's obvious that the pedestrian was standing there when the vehicle lurched forward and has to move out of the way very quickly. You can't tell close-up how she was struck or exactly how hard she was struck, but you can see she was standing there when the vehicle lurched forward," said Bartow County Sheriff's Office Sgt. Jonathan Rogers.
Investigators say the teen's pants had a black mark on them allegedly from the tires of the board member's Lexus. That and the surveillance video prompted authorities to charge Cornett with reckless conduct.
The teen told authorities she was holding the space for a friend who recently gave birth and couldn't walk very far.
Wanda Cagle-Gray, a former school board member, said that she believes Cornett's alleged behavior was disgraceful and not what young people need to see from adults in the county.
"Totally unnecessary, totally uncalled for, We are elected officials to represent the children, parents and taxpayers of Bartow County," said Cagle-Gray.
Authorities said that additional charges could be pending against Cornett.
Cornett has been released on bail. Her attorney, John Mroczko, released a statement to FOX 5 saying,
"Mrs. Cornett regrets this unfortunate incident occurred. However, she
strongly denies the allegations that have been made against her. Mrs.
Cornett was going to Wal-Mart with her daughter this past Friday and was
going to park her vehicle in a parking space next to the buggy return.
A young lady was standing in the front of the buggy return when Mrs.
Cornett turned her car and entered the parking space. Unfortunately,
the young lady stepped forward into Mrs. Cornett's vehicle in what it
was later learned to block the parking space. As soon as the young lady
stepped toward Mrs. Cornett's vehicle, Mrs. Cornett immediately stopped
her vehicle. The young lady was not hurt. Mrs. Cornett regrets the
incident occurred and wishes nothing but the best for the young lady
involved. "
Tuesday, June 18 2013 11:05 PM EDT2013-06-19 03:05:04 GMT
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Photo courtesy of @N42_21_W71_04)
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FDNY photo via Twitter
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NYC
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The director of the National Security Agency said Tuesday the government's sweeping surveillance programs have foiled some 50 terrorist plots worldwide, including one directed at the New York Stock Exchange.
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Bartow County school board member Angela Cornett is accused of running her SUV into a teenager.
