Florida Bar suspends attorney accused of intentionally driving into 4 people
A personal injury attorney was suspended from the Florida Bar after she was accused of intentionally driving into four people.
Beatrice Bijoux, 31, was arrested Feb. 22 and accused of slamming her black Kia into people dining outdoors in front of The Fresh Market, a grocery store in Stuart.
Stuart is about 40 miles northwest of West Palm Beach.
Four people were injured, including one who was flown to a hospital, Stuart police said. They all suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
She was charged with four counts of first-degree attempted murder, one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of wanton fleeing. She has pleaded not guilty.
One victim said she was sitting at the outdoor table when a black car jumped the curb and struck the table, according to an arrest report. The woman said she was pushed into the concrete wall behind her.
A witness told police that the driver hit the gas before she crashed into the table, the report says. Another witness said he tried to stop the driver from leaving but had to jump out of the way because she tried to run him over.
Security video from outside the market appeared to show Bijoux driving through a parking lot toward the outdoor tables. Police said in the arrest report that she was traveling 30 mph to 35 mph when she hit the table.
Police were able to find her car after a witness followed her.
Officers tried to conduct a traffic stop, but Bijoux did not stop, according to the arrest report. She eventually drove to the Stuart police station, the report says.
According to the report, Bijoux told police that "the voices in her head had told her to kill the people." While she was being questioned, she told detectives that she "intentionally wanted to kill other people and that she intentionally wanted to kill the people she struck with the car," it alleged. Bijoux also said she wanted to harm herself and had thought about killing her 4-year-old niece, who lived with her part time, according to the report.
Police wrote that Bijoux said she was on medication. The report redacted what it was prescribed for.
Bijoux is being held at a Martin County jail without bond. Her attorney could not immediately be reached for comment Wednesday.
On March 21, the Florida Bar was granted an emergency suspension for Bijoux, who was admitted in 2016.
