Julia Lynn Kalthof, a 65-year-old resident of Windsor Terrace in Palm Coast, faces a felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon charge after she was captured on video driving off the road and onto a foot-and-bike path apparently to chase a 14-year-old boy on an e-bike the evening of June 7.
The incident underscores the increasing prevalence of electric bikes on public roadways and foot paths. The boy was not at fault in any way and did not commit infractions. But certain cities are adopting tough new rules to regulate e-bikes–in some cases tougher rules than apply to car drivers. St. Johns County recently considered adopting stricter rules than state law provides for, but finally declined to do so.
Flagler County Sheriff Rick Staly is calling on the Legislature–but not local authorities–to toughen state law.
The boy riding on Pine Lakes Parkway, here referred to as Eddie (an assumed name), told a Flagler County Sheriff’s deputy that as he was riding west on Pine Lakes Parkway, someone in a gray SUV started chasing and harassing him. The SUV had followed him from the Pine Lakes intersection with Woodbury Drive to Wood Haven Drive and Palm Coast Parkway, and at one point tried to go around him and cut him off as he was in a crosswalk, almost striking him, according to Kalthof’s arrest report.
In fright, Eddie started pedaling as fast as he could while the SUV kept chasing him. He took out his phone to document the incident, and at one point is heard saying, “this lady is trying to hit me.” At that point the SUV was behind him, on the bike path. Eddie later flagged down a car that got in the way of the SUV, enabling him to get back to his house. He told deputies that “his heart was racing and he was afraid for his life.”
The witness who helped him had called 911 as the incident was ongoing. The witness’s girlfriend was driving behind him and recorded a portion of the incident on her phone, which she shared with authorities. The witness had seen Kalthof’s SUV get to within 6 to 10 feet of the e-bike on the bike path. The video shows the SUV getting “within a car length” of the bike at one point, before backing off, the arrest report states. The witness then cut off Kalthof and took down her vehicle’s identifying information.
Kalthof told a deputy that she was angry that Eddie “had been riding his e-bike through the neighborhood fast,” according to her arrest report. She was following him to find out where he lives. She wanted to speak with his parents. She said she tried to get past him to get him to slow down. She “admitted that she had made a mistake and asked if she was being arrested.”
She was–for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon without intent to kill, a third-degree felony, and reckless driving, a misdemeanor. Deputies also issued Kalthof a traffic ticket for driving on the multiuse path. She was booked at the county jail on $3,000 bond and issued a no-contact order regarding the boy and two witnesses.
“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,” Sheriff Rick Staly was quoted as saying in a release. “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.”
According to Florida law, an e-bike “or an operator of an electric bicycle shall be afforded all the rights and privileges, and be subject to all of the duties, of a bicycle or the operator of a bicycle.” Licenses are not required to ride e-bikes, which may be ridden on sidewalks.
“E-bikes are becoming more and more prevalent in Palm Coast, and the riders need to control their speed and recklessness too,” Staly 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.”
Kendall says
My neighbor, a woman in her 80s was almost killed by a person on an ebike speeding on a sidewalk. She had a compound fracture in her leg and is still recovering almost 2 years later.
On more than a few occasions I have witnessed E bikes not stop at intersections and have almost been hit by them while walking as most of the time the riders have no etiquette for sharing the sidewalk.
Anything motorized does not belong on a sidewalk and there should be age restrictions and testing/licensure requirements for operators so they know the rules of the road and how to engage with pedestrians.
Mark says
What she did was wrong yet I see many of these kids going faster than the cars with electric bikes and disregarding the cross streets along with stop signs, just a matter of time before one gets seriously hurt.
Skibum says
I read the news reports of this incident yesterday, and I was able to watch two separate videos that showed what happened as it played out. The first video was from the teen on his e-bike on the bike path, which at a couple of points while he was trying to get away from the car chasing after him on the bike path he turns his phone around to show the car’s headlights coming after him as he says the car is trying to run him over. The second video is from another driver on the adjacent street, videotaping the car driving on the bike path not far behind the person on the e-bike.
What really is the most concerning from my perspective is the information in the initial news reports I read yesterday regrading the Flagler County sheriff’s deputy who responded to the incident, and make the astonishingly bad decision that the woman driving the car on the bike path while chasing after the teen was not going to be arrested, but merely warned against doing such a foolish thing in the future! It wasn’t until the teen’s dad later went to the sheriff’s precinct and complained to sheriff’s officials that someone higher up reviewed what had happened, including that deputy’s response, and overruled the deputy and subsequently arrested the woman for aggravated assault – a felony. It’s not brain surgery – that woman’s actions were so dangerous and outlandish that there should have been no question regarding whether or not she was going to face criminal charges. Her arrest for assault SHOULD have been the outcome from the get go!
JimboXYZ says
Something isn’t wired right in that human biological unit. Imagine being that stupid at age 65 ?
James says
Chasing after a kid on an e-bike with an SUV?!?
Just another story of another moron, in a county of morons, in a state full of morons.
As for the kid… who hopefully wears a helmet when he’s out riding… slow down. E-bikes are getting a lot of negative press lately in Florida, some of it perhaps justified.
But to get law enforcement involved?
Don’t they have enough trouble with cars and other heavy vehicles driven by all the brain dead morons of this state?
This is just another culture war, “parenting issue” when it concerns young people… so yes… I guess it will eventually be a matter for law enforcement.
Just my opinion.
Atwp says
Why bother young people when they tending to their own business bothering nobody. I love to see young people enjoying life and not doing anything destructive. Were she suppose to be on a trail in a car? Am glad she was arrested. Lesson to all, leave people alone if they not bothering you and tending to their on affairs. Yuou think they are doing wrong, call the cops.
Dennis C Rathsam says
She needs to stop at Truelieve on Old Kings Rd….TOO MUCH DRAMA!
Steve says
Maybe some Anger Management along with whatever else happens to her. Seems that Julia is a Karen and a dangerous one at that.
Bye Felicia says
Haha neighborhood Karen goes to jail.
Dusty says
We rode our bikes at normal pedal bike speeds why should we be punished for the few that are reckless?
Joe Freeman says
Hey Karen, next time mind your own business. You don’t need to police the world.