Lady Faces Felony Cost for Allegedly Punching Elementary Faculty Principal

A sideline altercation at an elementary college basketball recreation in Louisiana final week ended with two ladies in jail and one within the hospital.

On Monday, Jan. 13, the principal of Iberville Elementary Faculty — positioned in Plaquemine, a metropolis in Iberville Parish — was watching college students play basketball after college hours when she noticed two young children wandering onto the courtroom, in response to native outlet WAFB.

To maintain the children out of hurt’s manner, the principal moved from her nook spot within the college gymnasium and moved them away from the lively recreation — an motion she repeated no less than twice, in response to the outlet, which obtained surveillance footage of the incident. 

In a clip of one of many cases, the principal may be seen lifting a younger scholar up and away from the courtroom whereas guiding the opposite to do the identical.

Persevering with her efforts to maintain the children away from the motion, she flagged a mother strolling by who had “three children in tow,” in addition to a buddy along with her, Plaquemine Police Chief Stephen Engolio advised WAFB.

The principal then instructed the mother, whom police have since been recognized as Alessia Parker, to “hold [her] children off the basketball courtroom” as a result of “it disrupts the entire recreation,” the police chief stated. Parker, 33, “clearly took offense with that,” Engolio advised WAFB, foreshadowing her response, which was caught on the surveillance footage.

Within the courtside footage, the mother — who was holding one little one’s hand and had one other child on her hip — turns into visibly upset, stepping ahead and transferring very near the principal. The principal then places a hand up and on Parker, who then instantly seems to hit the educator within the head.

“The [principal] places her hand as much as sort of hold her off her and [Parker] simply punched her, knocked her out of her chair,” Engolio stated of the altercation.

A deputy with the Iberville Sheriff’s Division was on the recreation and stepped in instantly to interrupt issues up between the 2 ladies, per WAFB. However Parker’s punch left a mark on the principal.

Police stated she suffered a “busted lip” and head harm and was taken to the hospital, per WAFB. She was in a position to return to work the next day, in response to one other Louisiana outlet, WBRZ.

“She’s okay now,” Engolio stated of the educator, “but it surely was a fairly brutal assault.”

Parker turned herself within the subsequent day, and Plaquemine Police arrested her and charged her with resisting officers, disturbing the peace and battery of a faculty trainer, which is a felony, in response to WAFB and the Plaquemine Submit South.

Plaquemine Police and the Iberville Sheriff’s Division didn’t instantly reply to PEOPLE’s request for touch upon Sunday, Jan. 19.

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One other lady who was allegedly concerned within the incident, Jemecia Godchaux, was additionally arrested, the Plaquemine Submit South reported.

Referring to her as Parker’s “cohort,” Engolio alleged to WAFB that Godchaux, 37, was “sort of egging it on, made some threats and was cussing individuals out, too.” The outlet didn’t launch footage of Godchaux’s involvement within the battle.

Godchaux was booked, and police stated she additionally had no less than one different pending bench warrant, in response to the Plaquemine Submit South and WBRZ.

In an announcement to each shops, Iberville Parish Faculty Board Superintendent Dr. Louis Voiron stated that the Louisiana college system “wouldn’t tolerate the kind of conduct” that Parker and Godchaux exhibited on the basketball recreation.

Each ladies have been “banned” from all colleges within the system, the superintendent added.