Authorities in Florida have arrested an angry old lady accused of chasing down a teenage boy along a bike path using her SUV.
Angry old lady gets road rage
The incident, which unfolded on June 7, is drawing scrutiny due to its potential danger to both the teen and others nearby.
Julia Kalthof, 65, now faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, as well as reckless driving, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
“This woman caused a dangerous situation with her reckless and aggressive behavior and could have seriously hurt or killed not just the child she was chasing, but anyone who happened to be walking or biking on that path,” Sheriff Rick Staly stated in a press release.
The event occurred on the Pine Lakes Path in Palm Coast, where a trail intended for shared use by pedestrians and cyclists, became the scene of a pursuit involving an SUV and a 14-year-old boy riding an electric bicycle.
According to a 911 caller, he encountered the situation while driving and took action by intentionally positioning his vehicle to block the woman’s SUV.
His girlfriend, who was in the car with him, recorded video footage of the incident, and sent it to the police online.
Deputies dispatched to the scene spoke with the witnesses and examined the video, which reportedly showed the SUV following closely behind the teen.
The caller described the boy as frantically attempting to wave down passing cars, while Kalthof’s vehicle trailed a mere six to ten feet behind him.
Law enforcement identified Kalthof as the driver shortly after their investigation began.
At the time, the boy had already fled to safety. Deputies were later contacted by the child’s parents, who provided his identity.
Angry old lady admits to chasing kid on electric bike
Kalthof reportedly acknowledged her involvement when questioned by deputies.
“Kalthof told deputies that the incident occurred because she was angry at the victim for riding his e-bike too fast and wanted to find out where he lived in order to speak to his parents,” the statement continued.
“The victim told deputies that Kalthof screamed at him, cut him off, and nearly struck him, causing him to fear for his life.”
The teen later submitted additional video evidence to authorities, allegedly showing the angry old lady aggressively driving the SUV along the same trail.
In the footage, the boy can be heard saying, “There’s this lady trying to hit me.”
On June 10, Kalthof was formally charged. In addition to the criminal accusations, she also received a traffic citation for driving on the multi-use path.
She was briefly held at the Sheriff Perry Hall Inmate Detention Facility before being released on $3,000 bond.
“I’m thankful that nobody was hurt, or she could be facing even more serious charges,” Sheriff Staly said.
Mother convicted after driving truck through park
In a separate and unrelated incident in Arizona, a mother who drove a pickup truck through a crowded park following a dispute has received a prison sentence of 10 years.
Brandie Gotch, 31, was convicted on three counts of aggravated assault following an episode that unfolded in February 2024 at Westgreen Park in Peoria.
The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office reported that the situation escalated after Gotch’s children were involved in a physical altercation with other kids.
More children at the park reportedly recorded the fight and encouraged it.
Gotch reportedly arrived to take her children home and began walking them to her white Chevy Silverado when a 14-year-old boy insulted her.
She is said to have responded by grabbing the boy’s hair and violently shaking his head while yelling.
When another boy allegedly called her a derogatory name, Gotch allegedly took a sharp stick out of her vehicle and chased the boy down while shouting threats.
She then loaded her children into the truck, but another boy stood behind it and mocked her, before stepping away and joining his sister.
At that point, Gotch allegedly accelerated her truck and drove toward the two children.
The boy managed to move out of the way, but his 12-year-old sister was hit and suffered an injury to her leg.
Gotch continued to drive through the park, which was populated by more than a dozen children.
Prosecutors said several kids had to quickly get out of the way to avoid being hit. She later returned home but was arrested by authorities.
During an interview, Gotch admitted to driving through the park, circling near the bathroom area, and passing through the open field before leaving.
When asked whether she believed she had hit anyone, she replied, “I hope not.”
In her statements to investigators, Gotch claimed her children had been targets of bullying at school by the same kids at the park.
She said she had previously notified both the school and local law enforcement, but felt that “nothing has been done.”
Gotch told officers that all of her children were wearing seat belts during the drive through the park.
However, the children later reported that they were unrestrained and had been “bouncing all over the vehicle.”
