POLK CITY, Fla. (WFLA) — A Polk City woman faces allegations after reportedly throwing a can of Pepsi into a man’s van at a gas station, striking his 3-year-old child seated in the back.
On February 8, the victim recounted driving his van to pump 7 at a gas station. According to an arrest affidavit, he noticed a woman in another vehicle trying to access the same pump, realized her gas tank was on the opposite side, and executed a small U-turn to back into pump 7. Meanwhile, the woman stayed parked in front of his vehicle while he refueled.
Upon completing the refueling, the victim took his place in the driver’s seat. At that moment, the woman, later identified as 35-year-old Crystal Hess, approached him at the driver’s side window, insisting she needed to use the pump for her refueling.
The victim reportedly asked Hess to move her vehicle so he could get out of her way for her to pull forward.
That’s when Hess threw an unopened can of Pepsi into the van, which ricocheted off the headrest and struck the 3-year-old child in the head, who was sitting in the backseat, the report said.
Hess used a hammer fist to strike the vehicle above the driver’s side window on the metal surface. A house key was also held in her fist, causing gouge marks on the van. Before driving away, she kicked the van, denting the back and causing $1,000 in damage, the affidavit said.
On April 18, officials discovered Hess had been arrested for a hit-and-run crash in South Carolina, in the same vehicle she was in at the gas station.
After her arrest warrant was filed in March, Hess was eventually arrested on April 26 on charges of battery, criminal mischief of $1,000 or more, throwing a deadly missile into an occupied vehicle and simple assault.
