The Brief

- A Valley woman will spend a decade in prison for driving a pickup truck through a Peoria park and running over a girl.

In February 2024 , authorities say 31-year-old Brandie Gotch's children were fighting with each other at Westgreen Park, located near 87th Avenue and Butler Drive .

The Maricopa County Attorney's Office says other children were "egging" on Gotch's kids. The incident was also reportedly recorded.

When Gotch got to the park to pick up her children, she got into an altercation with other kids.

"While walking them back to her truck, a boy on the playground called her a name," MCAO said. "Gotch went over to him and started pulling him by his hair. A second boy called her a name, and she chased him around the park with a stick."

MCAO says Gotch then got into her truck, and drove toward a boy and his sister.

"He was able to jump out of the way, but his sister’s leg was run over," MCAO said. "Gotch kept driving through the park where more than a dozen other children were at the time, including some who had to run to get out of the truck’s path."

Gotch fled the park but was tracked down and arrested at her home. She later pleaded guilty to aggravated assault.

"This could have been a much more tragic situation; thankfully the worst injury in this was a sprained ankle and some bad scrapes and bruises," Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said. "Even when angry or frustrated, it’s up to adults to act like adults. It is never okay to take to take our rage out on a kid."