A Palm Coast woman was arrested for recklessly chasing a teen on an e-bike with her SUV along a multiuse path, the sheriff’s office said.
PALM COAST, Fla — Authorities have arrested a woman in Palm Coast for dangerously pursuing a teenager on an electric bike with her SUV along a shared-use path, as reported by deputies.
The Flagler County Sheriff’s Office stated that deputies were dispatched to the Pine Lakes Parkway and Woodhaven Drive vicinity on June 7. This was after a 911 call reported that an SUV was chasing a teenager riding an e-bike on the Pine Lakes Path, a designated paved path intended for both pedestrians and cyclists.
The person who called 911 informed dispatchers that he had obstructed the SUV at an intersection to give the teen a chance to escape. His girlfriend, who was driving another vehicle behind him, captured the situation on video.
Deputies interviewed witnesses and reviewed the video, which showed the SUV closely following the teenager (seen below).
Deputies were able to identify the driver of the SUV as 65-year-old Julia Kalthof.
Due to fleeing the area, the 14-year-old victim was initially unknown but was later identified after his parents contacted law enforcement the next day. He reportedly told deputies Kalthof yelled at him, cut him off and nearly hit him with her vehicle. The teen also provided video footage of his point of view during part of the chase (seen below).
Kalthof reportedly admitted to deputies that she was upset with the teen for riding too fast and followed him in an attempt to find out where he lived so she could speak with his parents.
On June 10, Kalthof was arrested and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill and reckless driving. She was also cited for illegally driving on the multiuse path. She was taken to a detention facility where she was later released on a $3,000 bond.
The investigation is ongoing, the sheriff’s office said.
“This woman caused a dangerous situation with her reckless and aggressive behavior and could have seriously hurt or killed not just the child she was chasing, but anyone who happened to be walking or biking on that path,” Sheriff Rick Staly said. “I’m thankful that nobody was hurt, or she could be facing even more serious charges. I also want to thank the bystander who stopped a dangerous situation and called 911 so that our deputies could handle it, conduct their investigation, and arrest this driver who clearly needs anger management.”
Staly also commented on e-bike laws in Florida
“E-bikes are becoming more and more prevalent in Palm Coast, and the riders need to control their speed and recklessness too,” he said. “The legislature needs to give us the new laws to address the behavior of these riders, such as limiting the allowed speed riders can go, just like cars.”
