HIALEAH, Fla. – A South Florida anesthesiologist is facing a hate crime charge, as well as other charges, after she attacked a Hispanic man who asked her to maintain social distancing inside a Publix, authorities said.
According to her arrest report, the incident occurred Jan. 20 at the Publix at 155 E. Second Ave. in Hialeah.
Police said the victim was checking out when Dr. Jennifer Susan Wright, 58, of Miami Springs, began setting down her groceries.
Authorities said the victim first asked Wright in Spanish to keep a proper distance from her, but she ignored him so he repeated the request in English.
According to the arrest report, the man was then loading his groceries in his car when Wright came up behind him in the parking lot and then got within 1 foot of his face.
The victim told officers that he asked Wright again to not be so close to him, which enraged her.
Below are some of the comments Wright made to the victim, according to the arrest report:
“You f***ing spic.”
“You piece of s***.”
“We should have gotten rid of you when we could.”
“We should have burned you all.”
“This is not going to be your Biden’s America. This is my America.”
“This is my country, and we are going to get rid of every single one of you.”
According to the arrest report, Wright also scratched the victim’s car with her keys as the victim repeatedly told her to stay away from his vehicle.
She also stabbed the car with her keys while telling the victim that he needed to go back to his country, the report stated.
Police said Wright caused $567.64 worth of damage to the trunk of the victim’s car, and the rear passenger-side door.
According to the arrest report, the incident didn’t stop there and Wright punched the victim in the face as he took out his phone to call 911.
Police said she also stomped on the phone after it fell to the ground in an attempt to prevent the victim from calling authorities.
Police said she then fled in a green Jeep Wrangler.
She was taken into custody Friday on charges of battery with prejudice, tampering with a victim and criminal mischief.
She has since been released on bond.
An attorney for Wright released a statement Monday evening saying: “The allegations made against Dr. Wright are simply not true. We look forward to discrediting this ugly attack against our client that is filled with lies and twisted information to fit someone else’s political agenda.”
That attorney, Carlos F. Gonzalez, said his client would not be doing interviews at this time.
Wright practiced at Mount Sinai Medical Center, which issued a statement Monday afternoon saying she is “no longer responsible for patient care” there.
“We are aware of the hate crime arrest of an anesthesiologist who practiced at the medical center,” the statement read in part. “The details that have been reported regarding the incident are unacceptable and counter to the culture we foster and the mission that guides us. ... At this time, Dr. Jennifer Wright is no longer responsible for patient care at Mount Sinai. Our top priority is the safety of our patients, visitors, and employees. Law enforcement and other appropriate authorities have our full cooperation in this matter.”
The Miami Herald reported that Wright is known in her neighborhood as a “fervent Trump supporter,” who during the Halloween season “erected a sinister-looking mannequin made to look like Joe Biden, with a sign that read ‘Expose the Biden Crime Family.’”
She also appears to have expressed her views on her Facebook page through various posts and memes, including one post that read, “It’s Okay To Be White.”
Her Facebook page appears to have been taken down following her arrest.