Mother Charged After Alleged Vehicle Attack At Memphis High School. Police say 36-year-old Jasmine Dunmars allegedly tried to run over students, parents and staff with an SUV following a dispute about alleged bullying after a band meeting on April 21. A student suffered an abrasion when the SUV struck a Nissan Pathfinder, which later received a $7,937.61 repair estimate. Dunmars was identified in photo lineups on April 30 and charged on May 5 with multiple counts, including four counts of aggravated assault with a vehicle.
Tennessee Mother Charged After Allegedly Driving SUV Into Crowd Following Bullying Confrontation
Jasmine DunmarsCredit: shelby county pd
A Tennessee mother has been charged after police say she allegedly tried to run over students, parents and school staff with her SUV following a dispute about alleged bullying at a high school band meeting.
According to an affidavit obtained by PEOPLE, 36-year-old Jasmine Dunmars is facing multiple counts stemming from an incident on April 21 outside Melrose High School in Memphis, Tenn. Court records reviewed by PEOPLE list charges that include misdemeanor assault, four counts of aggravated assault with a vehicle, misdemeanor reckless endangerment and felony vandalism in the $2,500–$10,000 range.
The affidavit says the incident began after a parent-teacher meeting for the school's band program when another mother, Jada Hayes, stayed in the parking lot to speak with Dunmars about allegations that Dunmars’ child had been bullying one of Hayes’ children.
Hayes “spoke to Jasmine Dunmars briefly; however she did not want to discuss the issue,” the affidavit says.
Police allege Dunmars left the scene in a Jeep SUV but returned moments later as Hayes attempted to leave in her Nissan Pathfinder. Authorities say Dunmars parked partially in front of Hayes’ vehicle, blocking her path, and that a physical fight erupted involving Dunmars’ daughter and two of Hayes’ daughters. School staff intervened and separated the students, but the affidavit alleges the confrontation escalated when Dunmars approached Hayes and struck her.
The affidavit says Dunmars “ran up to D. Hayes and began punching her.”
After staff again broke up the altercation and moved Hayes and two of her daughters to a grassy area beside the school, police allege Dunmars got back into her SUV, turned the wheels toward Hayes’ vehicle and accelerated, striking the passenger side of the Nissan Pathfinder while a student was attempting to exit the car. Investigators said the student suffered an abrasion.
The affidavit further alleges Dunmars reversed the SUV, then turned toward Hayes, her daughters and other students and staff and accelerated a second time in an apparent attempt to strike them. According to the report, people were able to move out of the vehicle's path, but Dunmars intentionally struck Hayes' vehicle a second time before driving away.
Responding officers with the Memphis Police Department later identified Dunmars as the driver of the Jeep involved in the incident. Hayes obtained a repair estimate of $7,937.61 for damage to her Nissan Pathfinder, police say.
On April 30, investigators conducted recorded interviews with Hayes and her daughter, Tatiana Hayes, who each participated in separate six-person photo lineups and identified Dunmars, the affidavit states. Dunmars was formally charged on May 5 with the mix of misdemeanor and felony counts noted in court records.
PEOPLE contacted the Memphis Police Department and the Shelby County Sheriff's Office for comment. The allegations are based on the affidavit and charging documents; Dunmars is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
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