Polk County Sheriff’s Office detectives arrested a Lake Wales woman Sunday evening, October 18, on an attempted murder charge. Deputies say she drove at her ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend outside a Lakeland home and hit his hand with her car.
Thirty-year-old Taylor Renee Alderman was booked into the Sheriff’s Processing Center on charges of attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and leaving the scene of a crash involving injury.
What deputies say happened
The incident began just after 3 p.m. Sunday outside a Lakeland residence. Alderman had come in her vehicle to drop off property that belonged to her ex-girlfriend, the Sheriff’s Office said.
A disturbance broke out, and Alderman reportedly yelled racial slurs at the ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend.
Alderman started to drive away in her 2012 Ford Fusion, then made a U-turn and accelerated toward the man, according to the Sheriff’s Office. He jumped out of the way, but the car struck his hand. The Ford then slammed into a parked vehicle, and Alderman drove off.
The man suffered lacerations to his hand.
Suspect denied hitting the man
Deputies found Alderman and took her into custody. She told them she did not hit the man with her car and did not crash into another vehicle.
Witnesses at the scene told deputies something different. They said Alderman intentionally tried to hit the man and also hit the parked vehicle. The crash knocked her bumper off, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Prior record
Detectives said Alderman has a criminal history that includes grand theft, resisting, trespassing, violation of probation and drug possession.
An arrest and charges are accusations. Alderman is presumed innocent unless a court finds otherwise.