A Virginia high school track athlete is facing a misdemeanor assault and battery charge after a viral video captured her striking a competitor with a baton during a relay race. The incident occurred during a 4×200-meter relay at the state finals on March 4, involving Alaila Everett, a senior at I.C. Norcom High School, and Kaelen Tucker, a junior at Brookville High School.
The video, which has circulated widely online, shows the two runners neck and neck as they round a curve. As they exit the turn, Everett’s baton strikes Tucker in the head, causing her to stumble off the track in apparent pain. Everett continues the race, while Tucker is later diagnosed with a concussion.
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Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Bethany Harrison confirmed the charge this week, prompting a heated debate over the incident. Both athletes have shared their perspectives on what happened. Tucker told NBC affiliate WSLS that Everett cut her off as they merged into lane one, leading to physical contact. “We were bumping arms as we rounded the curve,” Tucker said.
“Then finally we got off the curve, I, like, slowly started passing her, and that’s when she just hit me with the baton and I fell off the track.” Tucker’s parents criticized Everett for not checking on their daughter after the race. Everett, however, maintains the incident was accidental. Speaking to NBC affiliate WAVY, she explained that the close proximity of the runners caused her baton to repeatedly hit Tucker.
“Eventually, after a couple of times of hitting her, my baton got stuck behind her back, and it rolled up her back,” Everett said. “I lost my balance. When I pumped my arms again, she got hit.” Everett denied any intent to harm Tucker, attributing the collision to Tucker cutting in too quickly. She said she attempted to check on Tucker after passing the baton but found her surrounded by others.
Everett also expressed distress over the online backlash, stating, “I know what happened. … I’m just a person by myself; nobody’s going to believe me.” The Portsmouth NAACP has voiced concern over the criminal charge, calling Everett an “exceptional young leader and scholar” and emphasizing her right to due process. Meanwhile, the Virginia High School League disqualified Everett’s team and is reviewing the incident.
Portsmouth Public Schools stated it is cooperating with the investigation and will abide by the league’s final ruling. As the case unfolds, the incident has sparked a broader conversation about sportsmanship, accountability, and the impact of social media on young athletes.
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