A 41-year-old Missouri woman has been accused of deliberately hitting a Christmas light installer with her car after losing her temper over the closure of a bank’s drive-thru area.
Christmas light installer run down by bank customer
Authorities identified the woman as Jemma Allen, who has been charged with second-degree assault and resisting arrest, according to police reports.
The chaotic scene kicked off around 9:30 a.m. in the parking lot of Sullivan Bank, located in Saint Clair.
Emergency responders, including police, firefighters, and paramedics, were summoned to assist after a pedestrian was reportedly struck by a car.
Reports confirm the victim was taken to Mercy Washington Hospital for treatment due to “visible injuries” sustained during the incident.
Witnesses stated that the conflict began when workers setting up Christmas lights had to close the drive-thru area, utilizing a lift for the decorations.
Allen, driving a 2016 Kia Soul, reportedly attempted to enter the closed section of the lot, leading to an argument.
Woman flees scene after hitting Christmas light installer
Surveillance footage revealed that the victim informed Allen about the closure, which allegedly prompted her to start shouting and using profanity.
While walking away and reaching to pick up a tote, the victim was hit by the vehicle. Footage showed Allen accelerating, causing the victim to be thrown onto the car’s hood.
She continued to drive, sending victim off the hood onto the ground before speeding out of the parking lot, ignoring the wounded worker she left behind.
Allen was later tracked down along with her car at a nearby location. During her arrest, she seemingly resisted by pulling away from officers but was eventually subdued and taken into custody at the Franklin County Detention Center.
Police noted she initially claimed the event was an accident, stating she had “accidentally placed her vehicle in drive,” but witnesses countered this account, alleging that she deliberately stepped on the accelerator, struck the victim, and then fled without showing concern for their condition.
Allen is being held on a $100,000 bond as the case awaits further review.
New father stabbed while Black Friday shopping
Meanwhile, in a separate act of holiday-related violence, a 43-year-old man in Texas faces charges after allegedly attacking a new father with scissors inside a Target bathroom on Black Friday.
The suspect, Robert Weldon Fields, reportedly stabbed Angel Perez Luna, who had gone to the store to shop for his infant son.
The stabbing incident occurred at a Target location in Dallas around 11:30 a.m. on November 29, per local police records.
Responders transported Perez Luna to Baylor Scott & White Hospital after finding him injured inside the store.
The alleged attacker, Fields, fled the scene before officers could arrive, forcing investigators to rely on surveillance footage.
According to the footage, Fields entered the men’s bathroom just after 10:30 a.m. and then sprinted out nearly 45 minutes later.
Witness statements added eerie context, as one individual reported hearing Fields declare, “Today, I’m going to commit a crime,” while inside the restroom. The witness left 10 minutes before the attack happened.
When interviewed, Perez Luna detailed that he spotted Fields sitting on a sink, mumbling to himself as he entered the bathroom.
After washing his hands, Luna recalled trying to leave but was allegedly ambushed, sustaining a stab wound to the neck.
Though briefly attempting to chase Fields, Perez Luna collapsed just outside the restroom due to his injury.
Fields remained at large for several days before police spotted him at a DART rail station on December 2.
Officers observed him dancing and attempting to ride the train without paying before detaining him.
When interviewed by police, Fields denied the crime, claiming, “If I had stabbed him, he would be dead.” However, he also added, “I was surprised that he survived,” according to the arrest warrant.
Fields was allegedly wearing the same clothing captured in the surveillance footage at the time of his arrest.
He remains in custody at the Dallas County Jail with bond set at $75,000 while authorities continue their investigation.
