The Virginia highschool monitor star concussed by a baton-wielding opponent will search for redemption when she returns to the beginning line to race for a nationwide title as her attacker faces assault expenses.
Brookville Excessive College junior Kaelen Tucker secured her spot on the Adidas Monitor Nationals in Virginia Seaside after she obtained clearance from her docs to return to competitors, her father informed TMZ.
The 16-year-old will race within the preliminary heats of the women’ 60-meter and the 200-meter dashes on the Virginia Seaside Sports activities Advanced, in keeping with race lineups for the meet.
Tucker can even be a part of her schoolmates underneath the title Brookville TC within the 4×200 meter relay, the identical race during which she was attacked.
The sprinter’s season had been at midnight since she suffered the pinnacle harm on the VHSL Class 3 State Indoor Championships at Liberty College on March 4.
Tucker, the second leg within the relay race, was battling IC Norcom Excessive College senior Alaila Everett for second place when she was allegedly attacked.
Everett was captured on video bringing her proper arm backward earlier than launching it ahead and hanging Tucker with the steel baton.
Tucker detoured off the monitor, grabbing her head and falling to the bottom.
The ailing runner instantly pulled herself and her crew out of the race, whereas officers disqualified Everett and her faculty.
Tucker’s preliminary prognosis was grim when she was informed that she suffered a concussion and “possible skull fracture.”
Everett has maintained her innocence, saying she “would never hit someone on purpose.”
She argued that her baton received “stuck” on Tucker’s again and rolled up and hit her opponent’s head.
“I lost my balance when I pumped my arms again,” Everett mentioned, in keeping with TMZ.
The Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Lawyer Workplace deemed in any other case, charging the 17-year-old with one depend of assault and battery stemming from the incident.
Everett and her household have been additionally the topic of a protecting order, filed in opposition to them by the Tucker household.
A rally was held at an area park in assist of the teenager after she was charged.
Tens of individuals turned out to the occasion Everett thanked her supporters.
“There’s no one else that wanted to hear my story, except the people that know me and people that know I would never do anything like that, I would never harm anybody. I’m not a fighter, I’m not even confrontational, I wouldn’t even do that on purpose, and I thank y’all for believing in me. I love y’all,” she mentioned in keeping with WAVY.com.
Everett’s speech was met with loud applause and a chant of “We stand with you.”
The president of the Portsmouth, Virginia NAACP mentioned the Everett household had been targets of racial slurs and different threats because the viral assault.
“The Everett family has experienced racial slurs, they’ve experienced death threats, and we think unequivocally that those things are unacceptable,” James Boyd mentioned on the gathering.
