A personal injury attorney was suspended from the Florida Bar after being accused of intentionally driving into four people.
Beatrice Bijoux, 31, was arrested on Feb. 22 after she allegedly slammed her black Kia into people dining outdoors in front of The Fresh Market, a grocery store in Stuart.
Four people were injured, including one who was flown to the hospital, according to the Stuart Police Department. They all suffered non-life-threatening injuries.
She was charged with four counts of first-degree attempted murder, one count of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and one count of wanton fleeing. She has pleaded not guilty.
One victim said she was sitting at the outdoor table when a black car jumped the curb and struck the table, according to an arrest report. The woman said she was pushed into the concrete wall behind her.
A witness told police that Bijoux hit the gas before crashing into the table, the report states. Another witness said he tried to stop Bijoux from leaving but he had to jump out of the way because she allegedly tried to run him over.
Security footage from outside the market appeared to show Bijoux drive through a parking lot toward the outdoor tables. Police said in the arrest report that she was traveling between 30 and 35 miles per hour when she hit the table.
Police were able to locate her car after a witness followed her.
Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop but Bijoux did not stop, according to the arrest report. She eventually drove to the Stuart police station, the report states.
Bijoux allegedly told police that “the voices in her head had told her to kill the people,” according to the report. While being questioned, she told detectives that she “intentionally wanted to kill other people and that she intentionally wanted to kill the people she struck with the car.” Bijoux also said she wanted to harm herself and had thought about killing her 4-year-old niece, who lived with her part-time, according to the report.
Police wrote that Bijoux said she was on medication, but the report redacted what the medication was prescribed for.
Bijoux is being held at a Martin County Jail without bond. Her attorney could not immediately be reached for comment on Wednesday.
On March 21, the Florida Bar was granted an emergency suspension for Bijoux, who was admitted in 2016.
Source: | This article originally belongs to Nbcnews.com
