Driver Charged After Mounting Sidewalk to Hit Child on Bike

At 6:05 in the evening, in a quiet residential neighborhood in Cheney, Washington, a 56-year-old woman drove her silver Ford Focus off the road, onto the sidewalk, and directed it at a child riding his bike. The boy managed to get out of the way. The car did not stop.

The incident was recorded on a cellphone by someone nearby. That video became the foundation of the case against Wendy A. Clemente, who was arrested after deputies reviewed the footage and launched a search for the vehicle.

What Happened on South Fruitvale Road

The encounter took place near the intersection of South Fruitvale Road and January Drive. According to authorities, Clemente drove her Ford Focus onto the sidewalk and attempted to strike the juvenile, who was riding his bike in the area. The child was not injured.

The boy's mother later told CBS News that her son was shaken and scared after the incident. He told her he thought for sure the car was going to hit him.

Neighbor Chris Combo, who has lived in the neighborhood for a decade, said the area is full of families and children. He told KHQ he had never seen anything like what happened that evening in all the years he had been there.

Twenty-Five Minutes Later, One Mile Away

At 6:30 p.m., Spokane County deputies received a burglary report near the intersection of West Melville Road and South Hayford Road — approximately one mile from where the child had been targeted. That call was also connected to Clemente.

The homeowner at that location, Lloyd Gaines, gave a detailed account of what he witnessed. He said Clemente was stumbling around his property, bouncing off trees, smashing his front door, before she face-planted on his porch. He disputed any innocent explanation for her presence there.

Her Explanation — and What Deputies Found

When contacted by deputies, Clemente offered an explanation for what she had been doing before the incidents: she said she had taken her dogs for a ride and was looking for other dogs to socialize with. Deputies noted she admitted to drinking alcohol before the incident. She also attempted to kick a patrol deputy during the arrest process.

That explanation — a woman driving drunk through a family neighborhood, claiming to be searching for dogs to socialize with, while on cellphone video attempting to hit a child — is what made the story land so hard when it spread publicly. It was not a missing detail. It was the detail that reframed everything.

Charges, Court, and Release

Clemente was booked on three charges: attempted first-degree assault, driving under the influence, and first-degree criminal trespass. She pleaded not guilty to all of them.

Spokane County Superior Court Commissioner N. Swennumson released Clemente on her own recognizance following her initial court appearance. She walked out of the courthouse without posting bond. Her next scheduled court appearance is May 20.

The Daily Mail reported that Clemente is a U.S. Army veteran. The child she is accused of targeting was not hurt. His bike kept him just far enough ahead of the car.