Charges are steep and numerous against a woman who Iowa police say attempted to mow down a Hispanic teen and a Black boy with her vehicle, all because of their race.
Natalie Miranda, 14, was walking to Indian Hill Junior High School in the Des Moines suburb of Clive, Iowa, on Dec. 9 when 42-year-old Nicole Marie Poole sent her SUV barreling into the teen. Poole left the severely injured teen lying on the ground as she fled the scene.
Though many were outraged by the story, it would only grow to become more disturbing when police determined Miranda was not Poole’s first victim that day.
Just before striking the female teenager around 5 p.m., Poole also struck a 12-year-old Black boy at a West Des Moines apartment complex with her Jeep Cherokee. He suffered minor physical injuries and only fueled what police say was a “hate-filled motivation” to move onto her second victim. Security footage of the incident at the apartment complex where the 12-year old boy was struck, connected Poole to the incident.
“I want to say, in the strongest terms possible, that there is no place in our community — or any other—- for this type of hatred and violence,” said Clive Chief of Police Michael Venema.
“The collective voice of metro law enforcement, and the communities we serve, is sending the message that if you commit biased-based crimes, we will charge you with the most serious offense applicable, with the most severe consequences,” West Des Moines Sgt. Paul Parizek added.
As if striking two pedestrians was not enough of a thrill, Poole then traveled to a gas station where she unleashed a tirade laced with racial slurs at a cashier and non-white customers, and threw items. The moment was caught on camera by a customer. Poole was arrested at the scene. Once in she was in custody and booked into the Polk County Jail, police would only learn more about Poole’s “hate-filled motivations.”
Investigators, who have spoken with Poole while at the jail, say that the 42-year-old has admitted to striking the teen simply because she was ”Mexican,” as she reportedly told police. She also claims to have used methamphetamine before her raging racial attacks on the public.
“She went on to make a number of derogatory statements about Latinos to the investigators,” added Venema.
For her apparent crimes, she is charged with two counts of attempted murder, violation of individual rights, fifth-degree theft, public intoxication and possession of a controlled substance.
Her bond was set at more than $1 million.
