Authorities said that a Florida high school softball player and her mother were brutally knifed by the ex-boyfriend of the teenager as they left a restaurant in order to avoid him.
The St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office described the stabbing as a “targeted” attack. It occurred in the parking lot of a restaurant called Mr. Chubby’s Wings in Ponte Vedra Beach on Saturday afternoon.
According to the arrest affidavit, the teenager, identified as Madison Schemitz by her family, was dining at a restaurant with her mother, Jacki, and friends, when they noticed the ex-boyfriend sitting nearby.
Roge was attempting to obtain a restraining against Spencer Ross Pearson, the ex-boyfriend of her daughter, according NBC affiliate WLTV in Jacksonville, quoting a family member. The affidavit stated that he started to “follow and harass the girl” in April.
Deputies report that Schemitz and her mother left to avoid Pearson’s 18-year-old presence. The affidavit stated that Pearson was then seen “charging at the juvenile victim as she walked towards her vehicle” seconds later.
One of the victims, who spoke to investigators about the incident, said that Pearson “held Schemitz by the arm” and “stabbed [her] approximately 15 times”, according to the report.
The affidavit stated that Pearson stabbed her mother in the leg and forehead when she tried to intervene. According to the document, Pearson also stabbed an onlooker who tried to help Schemitz’s mother and herself.
According to the affidavit, a bystander “dislodged” Pearson who then began “cutting himself throat” and informed witnesses that he was trying suicide.
Schemitz was hospitalized with “life-threatening” injuries, according to the report.
In a page set up to raise funds for the family’s medical expenses, Schemitz was described as a rising high school senior at Ponte Vedra and a star athlete. She is also a sister of five.
According to the fundraiser, she is in critical condition and has a long road to recovery at Memorial Hospital of Jacksonville.
Roge updated his followers that “Madison is a fighter with 2 chest tubes, a spinal injury and two chest tubes. Please continue to pray for her.”
She added, “My muscles have been severed from my bone in my hand.”
Tuesday, the status of a bystander was not known.
Pearson was charged on two counts of attempted murder with premeditation and aggravated assault with a deadly weapons.
A warrant for his arrest was issued in the hospital where he is currently residing. The warrant stated that Pearson must not contact the victims and hold firearms. It also noted he has to wear a GPS monitoring device.
You can reach the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988. You can also call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 800-273-8255, text HOME to 741741 or visit SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for additional resources.
