4 Florida teens face attempted murder charges. They drove a van over a mother, cops say
A gang of four Polk County teens looking to settle a romantic beef put a mother in critical condition and are charged with attempted murder, the Polk County Sheriff’s Office says.
Their alleged murder weapon: a van.
Elijah Stansell, 18, is charged with attempted felony murder, burglary with assault, three counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and, in an unrelated case, lewd and lascivious battery on a minor.
The three minors are charged with attempted felony murder and burglary with assault.
“This was a coordinated, planned attack, carried out by a group of teens who beat up a teen then ran over his mother, leaving her for dead,” Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said. “I can’t even fathom teenagers doing something so heinous. Our prayers are with this family.”
According to the sheriff’s office, Stansell had “a romantic dispute” with a boy in Polk City and the gang of four admitted they went to the boy’s Polk City home to attack him. Stone pointed out where the boy lived, but apparently not the home surveillance cameras.
PCSO said video shows Stansell at the front door; the gang racing around to jump on the boy when he came out of the carport; Stansell and Sutton continuing the attack as the boy backed into his house; everybody running when the boy’s mother came home; and the attacking teens running her over with their van.
“Though there was enough room for the van to maneuver around her as she stood in the roadway, Stansell intentionally ran into her, then over her, before fleeing the scene,” PCSO said.
PCSO deputies and Auburndale police officers soon found the van and rounded up the suspects.
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