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Deputy Arrests Woman Who Drove onto Sidewalk, Targeted Child

5/7/2026

31 5 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Deputies arrested Wendy Clemente after she drove onto a sidewalk and tried to hit a child on a dirt bike on April 28.
A neighbor’s video captured her Ford Focus climbing onto the sidewalk and chasing the child before deputies identified her.
She was booked on first-degree attempted assault, DUI, and criminal trespass charges, allegedly kicking a deputy.
A judge released her on her own recognizance the next day without bond.

History

Historical Context

In 1995 Texas passed House Bill 1265, raising DUI penalties after fatal teen-bike crashes; the law allowed fines up to $5,000 and up to ten years imprisonment, with Governor George W. Bush praising strict enforcement. Decades later, on April 28, 2024 Tampa deputies arrested Wendy Clemente for driving onto a sidewalk, illustrating how tougher DUI statutes continue to shape police response and bail decisions.

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Story summary

Deputies arrested Wendy Clemente after she drove onto a sidewalk and tried to hit a child on a dirt bike on April 28.
A neighbor’s video captured her Ford Focus climbing onto the sidewalk and chasing the child before deputies identified her.
She was booked on first-degree attempted assault, DUI, and criminal trespass charges, allegedly kicking a deputy.
A judge released her on her own recognizance the next day without bond.

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