Virginia Track Athlete Charged with Assault Following Baton Strike Claimed to Be Accidental

Portsmouth track athlete Alaila Everett has been charged with assault and battery after an incident that took place during the Class 3 State Indoor Championships earlier this month. The event, which has attracted significant media coverage and public attention, involved Everett accidentally hitting another runner, Kaelen Tucker, with a baton during a relay race.

Video from the race shows Everett swinging her baton as she and Tucker approached the curve on the track. In an interview with WAVY, Everett described what happened just before the collision. “After a couple times of hitting her, my baton got stuck behind her back … and it rolled up her back. I lost my balance when I pumped my arms again. She got hit,” she said. Despite her team’s strong performance in the race, I.C. Norcom High School was disqualified because of the incident.

Following the event, a charge was filed against Everett, and attempts to contact Tucker through social media resulted in Everett being blocked. According to the Lynchburg Commonwealth’s Attorney Office, the assault and battery charge came after videos of the incident went viral, sparking widespread debate about how the situation was portrayed in the media.

The Portsmouth NAACP has expressed support for Everett, labeling the potential criminal charges as “concerning” and “not warranted,” while also denouncing the racial slurs and threats directed at her online. In a statement, they emphasized, “Alaila is NOT AN ATTACKER,” and offered thoughts for both runners and their families as the situation develops.

The Tuckers, Kaelen’s family, have sought a protective order against Everett while simultaneously demanding an apology from both Everett and her coach. Everett’s family, meanwhile, has extended apologies to Tucker’s family, reinforcing their belief in her character. “I know 100% that she would never do that to nobody,” said Zeketa Cost, Everett’s mother.

Virginia High School League Director of Communications Mike McCall commented on the situation, stating, “We don’t comment on individuals or disciplinary actions… the actions taken by the meet director were appropriate and correct.” Portsmouth Public Schools also confirmed they are cooperating with the VHSL’s ongoing investigation.

Tucker described her experience in an interview, detailing the moments leading up to the baton strike. “When you go to the other side of the track, you have to cross into lane one… as we got around the curve, she kept bumping me in my arm. Then finally we got off the curve, I, like, slowly started passing her and then that’s when she just hit me with the baton and I fell off the track,” Tucker recounted.

Despite her injuries, which reportedly include a concussion and a possible skull fracture, Tucker’s family is seeking public accountability in addition to an apology.

Former Citywide Athletic Director Vincent Pugh observed that such injuries often lead to overlooking the root cause—specifically, Tucker’s alleged premature merging into Everett’s lane. “In a race involving a curve, where lanes are not specified, a competitor may move on the inside or outside of the track provided the runner is one full runner’s stride in advance of the competitor whose path was crossed,” he explained, citing standard race rules.

Sources: WKRG, Wavy, ABC