LA County prosecutors charge woman after video shows her pepper-spraying teens in Carson Taco Bell
A Carson woman faces an assault charge and several other misdemeanors after a video showed her pepper-spraying teens in a Taco Bell last week.
On Thursday, The Los Angeles County District Attorney's Office charged 36-year-old Nicole Coleman with one felony count of assault, one misdemeanor count of use of tear gas and three misdemeanor counts of child abuse under conditions other than great bodily harm or death. She pleaded not guilty to the charges.
Coleman faces a maximum of six years in state prison if she's convicted as charged.
"While I'm relieved that none of the young victims suffered significant injuries, the nature of this attack is deeply troubling," District Attorney George Gascón said.
According to some people familiar with the situation, the incident has been boiling over for months, starting with two high school girls who were fighting over a boy.
"This is not something that they deserve," said Vanessa Rodriguez, mother of one of the teenagers attacked last week. "Two of the girls are on the basketball team and one is super injured. This is possibly, can end her career and she's super mentally distraught right now and that situation. These girls are so traumatized and afraid of everything that's happening."
Witnesses said that there had been some trash talk between groups at different high schools in the Carson area, when one of the girls called their mother, who came in with the can of pepper spray already in hand.
As adults, we have a responsibility to be role models for our young people, and violence in any form is never an acceptable response," Gascón said. "Our office will continue to hold those accountable who endanger the safety and well-being of others in our community, especially our youth."
