Woman accused of striking teen with car in Mastic Beach arraigned; lawyer says her son was bullied

A woman who police say intentionally hit a teenager with her car in Mastic Beach was set to be arraigned in court Sunday.

News 12 Staff

Oct 9, 2022, 4:07 PM

Updated 804 days ago

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A woman who police said intentionally hit a teenager with her car in Mastic Beach was arraigned in court Sunday.
Police said it happened Friday around 9:40 a.m. in the parking lot of Manhattan Bagel on Mastic Road near William Floyd High School.
Officers said there was a confrontation between several teens, including the child of 34-year-old Jennifer Nelson.
“Her son called her approximately 7:15 a.m. and said he was just robbed again and bullied. That had been going on for two years by the same group of kids, approximately about 20 to 25 kids,” said Nelson's lawyer Katherine Fernandez.
Police said when Nelson arrived, the kids began to disperse as Nelson struck a teen with her 2020 Honda Passport. They said she then fled the scene.
The 15-year-old victim was taken to Stony Brook University Hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
Fernandez said Nelson’s son is the victim of bullying and something she says her client has tried to resolve peacefully.
“Her son was bullied for two years at the high school where nobody did anything to help her or her son. I do believe there is surveillance video of her son being…knocked out cold by these bullies who also had him at knifepoint,” Fernandez continued.
​A Suffolk judge released Nelson after her arraignment.
Nelson faces several charges, including second-degree assault, reckless endangerment and leaving the scene of an incident without reporting a personal injury.
News 12 Long Island also reached out to William Floyd High School for their response but did not hear back from them.