AMARILLO, Texas — A Lubbock woman, Maritza Brito-Mellinger, was arrested by Amarillo police for allegedly attempting to run over a father and his child with her vehicle in a disturbing incident that occurred in the Sleepy Hollow neighborhood.
Brito-Mellinger, 29, was booked into the Randall County Detention Center on two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, a second-degree felony in Texas. Her bond has been set at $50,000.
According to court records, the incident took place on August 16, when the victims—a father and his young daughter—were out walking. Police say Brito-Mellinger approached them in her car, began yelling, and then tried to run them over. The man quickly moved himself and his daughter out of harm’s way. However, the suspect allegedly turned her car around and attempted to strike them again.
The father, who has a concealed carry license, reportedly pulled out his firearm and aimed it at the oncoming vehicle. Brito-Mellinger then veered off and fled the scene.
Authorities also noted that Brito-Mellinger had previously shared social media posts showing a handgun and tagging the Sleepy Hollow Elementary School page, prompting a temporary lockdown of the campus.
This is not Brito-Mellinger’s first brush with the law. In March 2023, she allegedly dragged a Lubbock police officer with her vehicle during an attempted arrest. Court records show that three out of four criminal cases against her in Lubbock County were dismissed after competency evaluations. A misdemeanor assault charge in Potter County was also dismissed earlier this year for the same reason.
She remains in custody at Randall County jail.
