65-year-old Julia Kalthof was arrested by the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office on Tuesday after she allegedly ran down a 14-year-old riding his e-bike on a Palm Coast sidewalk in her car. Kalthof was charged with reckless driving and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill.
According to a release by the FCSO, the incident took place on Saturday, June 7th. A 911 call was placed to the FCSO Communications Center reporting that a woman in a SUV was driving on the sidewalk along Pine Lake Pkwy in Palm Coast. The path is designated for pedestrians and cyclists both – but not for full-size motor vehicles.
The Scary Incident
The caller told the FCSO that the woman was chasing a teenager who was riding his e-bike on the sidewalk. They also said that they’d cut the woman off when the group drove past the intersection with Woodhaven Drive to try and keep her from running the teen down.
Video of the incident was recorded by both the caller’s girlfriend, who was driving separately behind them, and by the victim. In both clips the SUV in question appears to be driving aggressively and erratically in a manner which could cause potential threat of injury to the cyclist.
Deputies responded and interviewed witnesses, reviewing the available footage while they were there. The victim himself had left the scene by this time. The witness who’d called 911 told deputies he’d seen the teen attempt to flag down other vehicles at a point in time where the SUV was as close to him as six to ten feet.
Investigating and Arresting Julia Kalthof
An investigation into the incident led detectives to the conclusion that it was Julia Kalthof, a resident of Palm Coast’s W Section, who’d been behind the wheel of the SUV. Deputies were also able to contact the victim after his parents reported what had happened to law enforcement the following day.
In interviewing Kalthof, deputies say she told them she’d driven the way she did because she was angry at the teen over the speeds at which he was riding his e-bike. She reportedly said she was following to find out where he lived so that she could speak to his parents herself. The teen recalled her screaming at him and coming dangerously close to hitting him. He said he had fear for his life during the incident.
Deputies arrested Kalthof on Tuesday, on a felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill plus a misdemeanor charge of reckless driving. Furthermore she was issued a traffic citation for having driven on the sidewalk. She posted her $3,000 bond and was released from the county jail on Wednesday.
“This woman caused a dangerous situation with her reckless and aggressive behavior and could have seriously hurt or killed not just the child she was chasing, but anyone who happened to be walking or biking on that path,” said Flagler Sheriff Rick Staly. “I’m thankful that nobody was hurt, or she could be facing even more serious charges. I also want to thank the bystander who stopped a dangerous situation and called 911 so that our deputies could handle it, conduct their investigation, and arrest this driver who clearly needs anger management.”
The Legality of E-Bikes on Sidewalks
As reiterated in the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office’s report on the incident, e-bikes are treated the same as any other bicycle under Florida law. Any situation where a bicycle is legally allowed to be ridden, an e-bike is as well. This includes roads, highways, road shoulders, bike lanes, or multi-use sidewalks like the one on Pine Lakes Parkway.
While only Kalthof was charged for her role in what transpired last weekend, Sheriff Staly issued a call for laws which create responsibility for e-bike riders. “E-bikes are becoming more and more prevalent in Palm Coast, and the riders need to control their speed and recklessness too,” he said. “The legislature needs to give us the new laws to address the behavior of these riders, such as limiting the allowed speed riders can go, just like cars.”
Chris Gollon is a Flagler County resident since 2004, as well as a staple of the local independent music scene and avid observer of Central Florida politics, arts, and recreation.
