A Texas preschool teacher is facing serious criminal charges after authorities say she pointed a firearm at another driver during a heated road-rage confrontation in Bexar County earlier this week.
Latashia Deshawn Walker-County, 51, was arrested Wednesday after allegedly pulling a gun on another woman during an argument on the road. According to local authorities, the incident escalated quickly, prompting the other driver to contact the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office and report the encounter.
Investigators responded swiftly and were able to locate Walker-County shortly after the complaint was made. During questioning, she allegedly admitted to brandishing the firearm during the dispute, according to reports from News 4 San Antonio.
Walker-County was subsequently charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon. Despite the severity of the allegation, she was released from custody after posting a $50,000 bond.
The arrest has drawn additional attention because Walker-County works as a pre-kindergarten teacher at Essence Preparatory Public School in San Antonio. The tuition-free charter school serves students from pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and was founded with a mission focused on supporting underserved communities.
According to the school’s website, the institution was “created to meet black and brown children’s educational, social and emotional needs” while striving to “show that home zip codes are not predictors of educational success.”
However, the school has already been facing major challenges unrelated to the arrest. Earlier this year, the Texas Education Agency declined to renew the school’s charter license, citing three consecutive years of poor academic performance. As a result, the school is scheduled to close at the end of the current academic year, only four years after opening.
The timing of Walker-County’s arrest has added another layer of controversy to the struggling institution, which has already been under scrutiny due to its academic record and impending shutdown.
Following her release from jail, Walker-County posted several cryptic messages on social media that appeared to reference the incident and its aftermath. In one post, she expressed gratitude to God “for what didn’t happen,” suggesting relief that the confrontation did not become more serious.
She also reposted another message encouraging followers to focus on personal growth rather than appearances, stating that people should “[clean] up your spirit” instead of worrying “about an image.”
Authorities have not released additional details about the confrontation, including whether the firearm was loaded or if any injuries occurred during the incident. The case remains under investigation.