A runner who is facing an assault charge after allegedly "attacking" her opponent with a baton has shared new footage of the incident.
I.C. Norcom High School athlete Alaila Everett, 18, is at the center of controversy following a dramatic moment at the Virginia State High School League Championships at Liberty University on March 4.
In online videos, the track star appears to be seen lifting her baton and hitting Brookville High School junior Kaelen Tucker after Tucker attempted to pass her on the track.
The 16-year-old opponent later revealed that she suffered a concussion from the encounter and was being checked for a potential skull fracture.
According to ABC News, the Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office has confirmed that Everett is now facing assault and battery charges in connection with the incident.
Tucker has claimed in an interview with WSET ABC 13 that Everett “kept bumping her arm” during the race before ultimately “hitting her with the baton” as she began to overtake her.
"As we were coming up in the middle of the curve, we were bumping arms a lot," she said. "So, I got a little more on the outside of the curve to go around her. When I finally pushed through to get in front of her, that’s when she hit me in the head with the baton.
"I was so in disbelief. I didn't know what happened - I just got hit in the head and fell off the track," she added.
Everett, however, is adamant that she did not hit Tucker on purpose. She says losing her balance in the heat of the race led to the contact, and that additional footage apparently supports her claim.
“Her arm was literally hitting the baton - until she got a little ahead, and my arm got stuck like this,” Everett explained in an interview with Good Morning America, while demonstrating the moment. “I would never do that on purpose. That's not in my character.”
Everett and her parents have argued that an alternate angle of the race supports her claim, showing that Tucker was running too close when the collision occurred.
Despite this, judges ruled the incident “contact interference” and disqualified Everett from the race.
Watch the new angle below:The Virginia High School League has since addressed the situation, telling ABC News that it is reviewing the incident while reaffirming its commitment to ensuring a “safe environment for competition".
The Portsmouth NAACP has also stepped in, revealing that it is examining the footage as well as "racial slurs and death threats" toward the Everett family.
"We are committed collectively to ensuring that the criminal justice system, which we feel is not warranted in this situation, is executed fairly and based on due process," the organization said in a statement on Wednesday while calling for Everett to be "void of any criminal proceedings."
"From all accounts, she is an exceptional young leader and scholar whose athletic talent has been well-documented and recognized across our state," the Portsmouth NAACP said. "She has carried herself with integrity both on and off the field, and any narrative that adjudicates her guilty of any criminal activity is a violation of her due process rights," they added.
As the legal case unfolds, Everett claims she attempted to apologize to Tucker but received no response. She also alleges that Tucker’s family has since served her with court papers seeking a protective order.
However, Tucker’s parents have said that Everett’s father, who also serves as the athletic director at I.C. Norcom High School, reached out to them personally with an apology over the phone.