Runner who hit opponent over head with baton shares new footage of incident as she faces assault charge
A high school athlete accused of hitting her opponent over the head with a baton has been charged with assault and battery.
Alaila Everett, 18, is now facing legal consequences for the shock incident which unfolded during the Virginia State High School League Championships at Virginia's Liberty University on 4 March.
The Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office has confirmed that a case is being brought against her.
Bethany Harrison, the commonwealth's attorney for the city of Lynchburg, told LADbible that a misdemeanour charge of assault and battery has been taken against Everett in this matter.
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Everett has insisted that she did not intentionally strike fellow relay runner Kaelen Tucker with the baton, claiming it was in fact down to 'losing her balance'.
And the teen believes that further footage of the race supports her innocence.
Everett reckons that a lot of people who have saw the now-viral video of what went down on the track have rushed to judgement.
Take a look at the new angle here:
Brookville High School student Tucker - who suffered a concussion and a possible skull fracture - was seen tumbling across the track after she was hit on the head.
According to the runner, her rival 'kept bumping her arm' during the race before 'hitting her with the baton' as she began to overtake.
"I still can't believe it, I'm in shock," Tucker previously told WSLS. "I'm still trying to take it all in, I can't believe it happened."
However, Everett maintains that she did not whack her with the baton 'on purpose' and she claims that footage taken from the opposite side of the track proves this.
While recreating her movements during the relay, the high school student told Good Morning America: "Her arm was literally hitting the baton - until she got a little ahead, and my arm got stuck like this.
"I would never do that on purpose. That's not in my character."
Everett and her parents allege that the new video shows that it was an accidental collision during the race, saying that Tucker is seen running too close to the 18-year-old.
In wake of the incident, Everett was disqualified by judges for the foul, which is known as 'contact interference'.
The VHSL said that it is reviewing the incident, while adding: "The VHSL membership has always made it a priority to provide student-athletes with a safe environment for competition."
Everett has claimed that she tried to apologise to Tucker, but the runner was not 'receptive' and had blocked her on social media.
She also alleged that the Tucker family served her with court papers that called for a protective order to be put in place.
Olivia Burke