Woman Accused Of Attacking Teacher Waives Preliminary Hearing

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - A couple accused of attacking a local teacher appeared in court Thursday afternoon.

Dai'Shonta Williams, 29, is accused of following 46-year-old Janice Watkins, throwing a brick at her car and attacking her.

Police say Williams' boyfriend, Vincent Beasley, was also involved in the attack.

Beasley has been out on bail, and his preliminary hearing was continued.

Williams remains in jail, her bail denied a few weeks ago after it was determined she was a threat to the community. Attorney Blaine Jones says his client instructed him to waive her hearing.

"Dai'Shonta did not want to put Miss Watkins through the pain of having to relive what happened," he said. "She's sorry for any pain and suffering that she may have caused her or her family."

Investigators say Williams was upset because Watkins took her daughter's cell phone away at Pittsburgh King PreK-8 elementary school on the city's North Side.

Williams reportedly did not like how the situation was handled, and allegedly said of Watkins, "She is going to get it later." The little girl accused the teacher of trying to choke her, and officials say the girl bit Watkins.

Later, investigators say Watkins was driving home along Ohio River Boulevard. While sitting in traffic on the West End exit off-ramp, she noticed a black male and female get out of their vehicle. Watkins' driver's side window was down as she was speaking to her mother on the phone.

The woman approached Watkins' car and allegedly threw a brick through the open window. Watkins was struck in the head. She said after she was hit, the woman opened her door, dragged her out in the road and began punching and kicking her.

Watkins was hospitalized with cuts, bruises and a concussion.

"Dai'Shonta wants to express that she is extremely sorry for her actions. She is remorseful, and she is hoping Miss Watkins has a speedy recovery," Jones said. "She is owning what she did, and she is asking for forgiveness."

Despite that, Watkins says she felt "nauseated" when she saw Williams in court.

"It's a little overwhelming," Watkins said. "This is a lot overwhelming."

In the meantime, Jones is trying to get his client out of jail.

"We filed a motion," he said. "We are waiting on a hearing date, and it is our hope that we will be successful this time in getting her out to her two little kids. [We're] trying to get her home to her babies."