KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A community activist is out of jail Monday night following her release on $50,000 bond. Tamika Pledger is charged in last Friday’s accident after allegedly hitting four teenagers with her car.
Hospital officials confirmed that a 17-year-old girl hurt in Friday’s incident remained at The University of Kansas Hospital Monday night in critical condition. As for Pledger, she had several people stop by her home on Monday, including FOX 4.
After several knocks on her door and calls to her cell phone, Pledger was nowhere to be found on Monday afternoon after she posted bond and was released from jail.
“She’s in good spirits, right now she really doesn’t want to say too much. She just wants to be left alone for right now,” said Minister Charles Davis.
Davis has been in touch with Pledger and says she wants her privacy.
“As far as any information for you, I would think that when she’s ready to talk, or the family is ready to talk, they’ll let you guys know,” he said.
Pledger spent the weekend behind bars after being charged with four counts of reckless aggravated battery. Wyandotte County prosecutors believe she hit the four teenagers on Troup Avenue in KCK.
Witnesses told police the teens were among a bigger group of students who had gathered near the street to watch a fight that reportedly involved Pledger’s niece.
“So that could’ve been the case where someone called her to break up the fight. I’m not sure,” Wyandotte County Unified Government Commissioner Tarence Maddox said.
Maddox is friends with Pledger and said he drove past the accident right after it happened. He said she told him she tried to stop, but couldn’t.
“I can’t tell you how she feels, what I do know is that I seen a person that was worried. She was worried about the children, she was worried if they were they okay,” Maddox said.
Aside from the girl in critical condition, police say the other three teens weren’t injured as seriously injured and include a 17-year-old boy, a 16-year-old girl and a 14-year-old girl.
FOX 4’s Katie Banks went by each of their homes on Monday, but no one answered the door at any of their listed addresses. As for Minister Davis, he says he will continue to reach out to Pledger and offer support.
“I’m going to minister to her. And we’re going to keep her in prayer and we’re going to keep the families in prayer, because that’s what we’re supposed to do as a community, we all work together,” he said.
Pledger is running for a county commission seat with the Unified Government, and it’s unclear how these charges might affect her political campaign. Court records show she was previously charged in Wyandotte County with misdemeanor resisting arrest in 2010, but if convicted of these charges, she could face up to 36 months in prison.
