Woman who struck man with car during Denver protest sentenced to community service The Denver Post

A woman who struck a man with her car last year on the first day of George Floyd protests in downtown Denver was sentenced Monday to community service.

A jury in July convicted Jennifer Watson, 38, of reckless driving but acquitted her of third-degree assault in connection to the May 28, 2020, incident on Broadway near the Colorado Capitol.

Denver County Court Judge Kerri Lombardi sentenced Watson on Monday to 48 hours of community service and $341 in fines and fees, court records show.

A video recorded by a bystander that went viral showed Watson’s car surrounded by a small group of protesters, including a man who was on the hood of her car. Watson started to drive through the crowd and the man jumped off the hood and moved away from the car.

Watson then turned and drove toward him, striking him with the front of her car, the video showed. The man was not seriously injured, according to previous interviews.

Watson’s attorney, Ryan Brackley, said that the protesters were striking Watson’s car and smashed her windshield. She was afraid and wanted to leave the situation. Watson called Denver police twice to report the incident and cooperated with the investigation, Brackley previously said.

Brackley said Monday that the sentence for the traffic offense was fair. It was important to Watson that she be able to explain to the judge her perspective of the incident and how it impacted her life, Brackley said.

Watson’s email and phone were flooded with hateful messages after the video went viral, he said, and people sent her images of the house where she had been living.

“From the moment that video went viral, her life was never the same,” Brackley said.

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