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Woman who rammed teens in Carpentersville gets jail

A 35-year-old Chicago woman accused of using her sport utility vehicle to run down two teens in Carpentersville in 2013 who were bullying her nephew, has pleaded guilty and received 24 months probation and 46 days in jail, according to court records.

Angelique Branch, of the 200 block of South Hoyne Avenue, was set to go on trial later this month in Kane County.

She also was ordered to pay $4,322 in restitution and court fines and costs, records show.

Branch was arrested in April 2013 and charged with using her Lincoln Navigator to run down two teens — ages 15 and 16 at the time — who police said were bullying her nephew.

One of the boys suffered a lacerated spleen during the March 11, 2013, incident on the 0-99 block of Oxford Drive in the Foxview apartment complex.

Branch was charged with numerous felonies, including failure to report an accident with injuries and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon. The charges carried a penalty of anywhere from probation to up to 12 years in prison.

In a plea agreement reached in mid-August, Branch admitted to leaving the scene of a crash with injuries, a felony, and in exchange prosecutors dismissed other charges.

She could be resentenced to up to seven years in prison if she violates probation.

Judge Thomas Stanfa accepted the plea for Branch, who was given credit for serving 17 days in jail. She was eligible to have her jail term cut in half to 23 days for good behavior, meaning she was required to serve another six days in jail before completing her term.

Defense attorney Steve Goldman could not immediately be reached for comment Thursday.

Goldman said last year that his client, who did not have a previous criminal record, was “unaware” that she hit or injured anyone and immediately turned herself into authorities after learning of the charges.

Goldman also said his client was not related to Timera Branch, who is serving a 34-year prison term for a car-ramming incident in Elgin in November 2009.

Timera Branch, of Streamwood, was convicted of murder for using her car to run down from behind and ram a 17-year-old from Elgin who had bullied her son and fought with him the night before.

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