Arizona Mother Sentenced to 10 Years for Driving Through Crowded Park
A 31-year-old mother from Arizona has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after driving her pickup truck through a crowded Peoria park where children were playing. The sentencing was announced on Saturday by the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office.
Brandie Gotch pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault stemming from the incident that occurred in February 2024. According to authorities, Gotch arrived at the park to pick up her children, who were fighting with other kids. The situation escalated when a child on the playground called Gotch a name, prompting her to pull the child by the hair and chase another with a stick.
As Gotch was backing out of her parking space, a child mocked her and danced behind her truck. The child then ran to his 12-year-old sister. Gotch revved her engine and drove towards the pair, running over the sister’s leg before driving through the park where more than a dozen children were playing.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell stated, “This could’ve been a much more tragic situation. Thankfully, the worst injury was a sprained ankle and some bad scrapes and bruises.” Mitchell emphasized the importance of adults maintaining control, saying, “Even when angry or frustrated, it’s up to adults to act like adults. It is never okay to take our rage out on a kid.”
Gotch was later arrested at her home. The incident has highlighted the need for responsible behavior in public spaces, especially when children are involved.
