Racist Woman Runs Over Teen Because She Is Latina, Charged For Hate Crime

Nicole Marie Poole Franklin, from Des Moines, Iowa, has been charged with attempted murder and committing a hate crime as she has confessed to authorities that she drove over a 14-year-old because the girl was Hispanic.

On December 9, 2019, Nicole Marie Poole Franklin, 42, was driving a black Jeep Grand Cherokee near a high school in the Des Moines suburb of Clive. When she saw a young Hispanic girl, Natalie Miranda, walking on the sidewalk and on her way to the school to watch a basketball game, she ran her over because of which the young teen has suffered injuries all over her body. Miranda suffered a concussion and severe bruising and was hospitalized for two days.

"The defendant admitted she intentionally struck the victim intending to injure or kill her," according to a complaint from the Clive Police Department. "She struck the victim because the victim is Hispanic."

Clive Police Chief Michael Venema shared that even as Nicole confessed to the crime she committed, she “told investigators that she ran the girl over because, in her words, she was “a Mexican.””

"She went on to make a number of derogatory statements about Latinos to our investigators," Venema said. "There is no place in our community, or in any other for that matter, for this type of hatred or violence."

After hitting the teen, Franklin fled the scene as the court document submitted by West Des Moines police Franklin then went to a convenience store. There she threw items at a clerk and abused him and his customers with racial comments.

On Sunday, she was charged with assault in violation of individual rights and for driving under the influence. She was also charged with assault, theft, consumption, and possession of illegal substances.

Joe Henry, president of League of United Latin American Citizens’ Des Moines branch, also believes that Franklin should be convicted for the hate crime she committed. “It would give the green light to anybody to do this type of terrible thing,” Henry said.

But Polk County Attorney John Sarcone isn’t in favour of the hate crime “it may sound nice, but it doesn’t help anything,” “When it’s appropriate to enhance, we’ll do it,” Sarcone said.