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DCF worker hit by car
By
Mike Essian, WINK News
Story Created:
Oct 9, 2008 at 6:02 PM EST
Story Updated:
Oct 10, 2008 at 7:36 AM EST
EAST NAPLES, Fla. - On Wednesday, a DCF worker was hit by a car while working a child abuse case in East Naples.
Two people have been charged and arrested. The child caught in the middle of the case has been found and is safe, according to the Collier County Sheriff's Office.
Neither of the two DCF workers on the case were seriously hurt, according to a DCF spokeswoman.
But it took 24 hours, a search by ground and air, and at least three agencies to resolve the situation.
According to the incident report, the two workers were at an apartment on Gulfstream Drive off U.S. 41 and Rattlesnake Hammock Road Wednesday afternoon.
A Collier judge had signed an order to remove a child from custody. Officials won't say who was responsible for the child.
The report says Evelyn Grant, 38, and David James, 47, were present at the time. DCF spokeswoman Erin Gillespie says conversation between the James, Grant, and the DCF employees became heated.
The sheriff report says Grant pushed the workers away while James grabbed the child, jumped into a car, and sped off, hitting one of the DCF workers in the legs.
A sheriff's deputy found the car on County Barn Road and performed a traffic stop, but James and child were not in the vehicle.
Evelyn Grant was the driver. Deputies arrested her on charges of battery on a DCF employee.
According to the Collier County Clerk of Courts, she has a history of drug use and resisting arrest.
Thursday, Fort Myers police found and arrested James at 3541 Evans Ave in Fort Myers. He's charges with aggravated battery and battery on a DCF employee.
Sheriff reports say he has a violent history with law enforcement. WINK News found nearly two dozen charges in Collier County, mostly drug related, along with several charges of battery on a law enforcement officer.
But in every case we reviewed, the battery charges were dropped.
Gillespie says situations like this are horrifying, but DCF workers are trained to calm people down. Workers are not armed. DCF relies on law enforcement when situations elevate to violence.
