A 42-year-old woman chose to run over a 14-year-old girl because she “was a Mexican,” according to police in Clive, Iowa.
Authorities arrested Nicole Marie Poole Franklin in connection to a hit-and-run of teenager Natalia Miranda. The girl was walking to a middle school basketball game when Franklin drove up onto the sidewalk and hit her with her car.
Franklin, who resides in Des Moines, was arrested Thursday. During her arrest, she told police that she had intentionally hit the girl with her car because she “was a Mexican.” Authorities reported that she also made other “derogatory remarks” about Hispanic people. The officers charged her with attempted murder.
Michael Venema, Clive’s police chief, said in a statement, “I mean, in the most energetic terms possible, that there is no place in our community (or any other) for this kind of hatred and violence. We are committed to supporting the victim and [her] family and working diligently with them to seek justice.”
In an interview with KCCI, Miranda said she doesn’t remember being struck by the vehicle.
“I don’t remember the impact. I just remember the car coming towards me,” the teenager said. Miranda suffered a concussion and severe bruising from the incident, forcing her to spend two days in the hospital. Authorities believe Miranda was unconscious on the ground for 15 minutes before waking and hobbling to the school for help.
Miranda’s parents said they were “extremely angry,” adding, “What kind of person would do that?”
Authorities have not yet decided if Franklin will face hate crime charges.
