A 21-year-old Leesburg woman with a history of domestic violence is back in jail after she reportedly hit her children’s father with her vehicle during an argument over visitation.
Terryanna N. Jernigan, of 2100 South St. Unit B, was charged with aggravated domestic battery with a deadly weapon after the latest incident, which happened Tuesday evening. Lake County Jail records show Jernigan was previously arrested on the same charge in December 2019 and domestic battery in September 2021.
The victim told a Leesburg police officer that Jernigan has been continually dropping off the children to him with no warning or timeframe for being picked up. He said he needed advice on how to handle the situation, according to the police report.
While they were discussing options for child custody, the victim mentioned he had been in a dispute with Jernigan just prior to calling police. He said after Jernigan dropped the children off, they had a discussion in her vehicle as she drove around. The victim said when they were done talking, Jernigan stopped the vehicle at the stop sign at intersection of Beecher Street and Waitman Avenue, which is where he got out of the vehicle, the report said.
The victim said after he got out, he walked past the front of the vehicle to cross the road and walk towards his residence. He said once he got to the passenger-side headlight area in front of the vehicle, Jernigan abruptly accelerated towards him. The victim said he jumped to keep himself from being taken under the car. He said when the vehicle struck him, he fell onto the front hood and windshield, cracking the windshield on the passenger side, according to the report.
The victim said after he was struck, he rolled to his right and landed on his feet and Jernigan continued driving. He had marks on his right forearm that he said were from where he landed. The mark wasn’t bleeding, but it was consistent with landing on a hard surface, the report said.
Jernigan was arrested a few hours later and taken to the Lake County Jail. She’s being held on $15,000 bond and will appear in Lake County Court on June 6.
