A 31-year-old Arizona mother has been sentenced to 10 years in prison after driving her pickup truck through a crowded park, running over a 12-year-old girl during a confrontation. Brandie Gotch was handed the sentence following an incident in February 2024 at Westgreen Park in Peoria. The altercation began when Gotch arrived to pick up her children, who were involved in a fight with other kids at the park. According to officials, the situation escalated when a boy on the playground called Gotch a name, prompting her to pull him by the hair. When another boy also insulted her, she chased him with a stick. The boys eventually moved away, but Gotch became angry again when one of them mocked her while standing behind her truck. Authorities say she backed out of the parking space, revved the engine, and then drove directly at the boy and his sister. While he managed to jump out of the way, her truck ran over the girl’s leg. Gotch continued driving through the park, where over a dozen other children were present, forcing some to run to safety. She was arrested shortly after at her home. Gotch pleaded guilty to three counts of aggravated assault, classified as a class two dangerous felony. Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell stated, “This could have been a much more tragic situation; thankfully the worst injury was a sprained ankle and some bad scrapes and bruises.” Mitchell emphasized the responsibility of adults to maintain 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.”
