Tennessee mother faces multiple charges after SUV attack on students and staff at school
Jasmine Dunmars was charged on 5 May following an alleged incident outside Melrose High School
A Tennessee mother is facing a raft of criminal charges after police allege she attempted to run over students, parents, and school staff with her SUV following a confrontation over alleged bullying at a high school band meeting.
The charges
According to an affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, Jasmine Dunmars, 36, was charged on 5 May with misdemeanour assault, four felony counts of aggravated assault with a vehicle, misdemeanour reckless endangerment, and felony vandalism — estimated at between $2,500 and $10,000 — in connection with an alleged incident on 21 April outside Melrose High School in Memphis, Tennessee.
How the confrontation began
The altercation allegedly began following a parent-teacher meeting for the school's band programme. Another mother, identified in the affidavit as Jada Hayes, remained in the car park after the meeting with the intention of speaking to Dunmars about allegations that Dunmars' child had been bullying her own child.
According to the affidavit, Hayes "spoke to Jasmine Dunmars briefly; however, she did not want to discuss the issue."
The incident escalates
Authorities allege that Dunmars departed the scene in a Jeep Grand Cherokee, only to return moments later while Hayes was preparing to leave in her Nissan Pathfinder. Dunmars allegedly parked in front of Hayes' vehicle, partially obstructing her exit, before a physical altercation broke out involving Dunmars' daughter and two of Hayes' daughters.
School staff intervened and separated the pupils involved. However, the confrontation allegedly resumed when Dunmars "ran up to D. Hayes and began punching her," per the affidavit. Staff members intervened a second time, and several individuals — including Hayes and two of her daughters — were moved to a grassy area beside the school building.
The alleged vehicle attack
Police allege that Dunmars then returned to her SUV, "turned her wheels toward Jada Hayes' vehicle and accelerated," striking the passenger side of the Nissan Pathfinder while a student was in the process of exiting the car. The student sustained "an abrasion" as a result of being struck.
The affidavit further alleges that Dunmars reversed the vehicle before steering it towards Hayes, her daughters, other students, and school staff. "Dunmars accelerated once more, attempting to strike everyone with her vehicle, but all were able to move out of the way," the document states. Authorities allege she then intentionally struck Hayes' vehicle a second time before leaving the scene.
Investigation and identification
Responding officers from the Memphis Police Department subsequently identified Dunmars as the driver of the Jeep Cherokee involved in the incident. Hayes later obtained a repair estimate of $7,937.61 for damage sustained by her Nissan Pathfinder.
On 30 April, Hayes and her daughter Tatiana Hayes participated in separate recorded interviews with investigators and independently identified Dunmars through six-person photo line-ups, according to the affidavit.