MOUNT PLEASANT – A $500 cash bond and a $2,500 signature bond were set for a 17-year-old Walmart employee accused of assaulting an elderly customer here last week, according to online court records.
Charges for Walmart Employee
Jazareia A. Velasquez of Racine has been charged by the Racine County District Attorney’s Office with aggravated battery-elderly person and disorderly conduct. The battery charge is a felony subject to a $10,000 fine and/or a six-year prison sentence upon conviction. The disorderly conduct charge is a misdemeanor.
A preliminary hearing for Velasquez is scheduled for Thursday at the Racine County Law Enforcement Center.
Criminal Complaint
According to the criminal complaint, Mount Pleasant Police were called to the Walmart store, 3049 S. Oakes Road, last Wednesday on a report of an employee assaulting a customer. A 70-year-old woman told police that she had requested to speak to a manager because of an interaction with the employee, later identified as Velasquez. The woman said that after speaking with the manager, she sought out Velasquez in an attempt to get her name. When she could not observe a name tag, she took out her phone to take a picture of Velasquez.
The woman stated that when she attempted to take a picture of Velasquez, the employee tried to grab the phone stating “Don’t take my picture” and struck her multiple times. The woman stated that she attempted to hold up her umbrella to prevent Velasquez from striking her but the assault continued until another employee pulled Velasquez away, according to the complaint.
A Mount Pleasant Police officer who reviewed store surveillance video saw that the woman held up her phone as if to take a photo, then Velasquez quickly moved toward her “raising her right fist and appearing to strike” the woman multiple times, the complaint stated. Velasquez told the officer that she remembered trying to take the woman’s phone away but it happened so fast, she only remembers putting hands on the woman.
Velasquez taken into custody and made an initial court appearance last Thursday afternoon.
Local News
For more news coverage, click here.