DETROIT (WXYZ) — Bizarre allegations have surfaced about an assault over the weekend at a Tudor Dixon rally at Armando's in Southwest Detroit.
Wayne County's Republican Party chair claims a woman protesting the rally bit her in the arm. 7 Action News has now confirmed the alleged attacker is a teacher in the Dearborn Public School district.
In a video provided by a witness, a man can be heard saying, "act like a normal person," a woman later responded, "I am."
Witnesses say the woman, a protestor, was there alone and her intentions were to disturb the peace.
"She was acting so chaotic that I was worried she would go after the speakers or something or hurt somebody," Cheryl Costantino said.
Costantino says she tried to block the protestor from moving toward the stage.
At first, she felt her push back and then she claims, "she just bent over and bit me really hard," Costantino said.
"I've never been bit by an adult in my life, or anyone over 5," she added.
Costantino provided pictures of what she says are bite marks and bruising from the attack.
"The top was a compression injury because of how hard her jaw bit me," Costantino said. "So when it started swelling up, I couldn't even raise my arm, like it was even uncomfortable just to drive."
Linda Sawyer says she witnessed the whole thing and later confronted the woman after management kicked her out.
"I was exiting and she was still by the door and I went to her and I said, 'You bit Cheryl' and she said, "Yeah, well,'" Sawyer said. "Like she was proud of it."
The woman, who we are not naming because she hasn't been charged, teaches special education at Dearborn Public Schools.
We spoke to her via Facebook and she denied all allegations and claimed she was the one who was attacked.
"If nonverbal and autistic children are in her care, if she would bite an adult what would you do to a child," Costantino said.
Costantino has since filed a police report with the Detroit Police Department. A spokesperson has confirmed to 7 Action News that they are actively investigating the incident.
We reached out to Dearborn Public School. In a statement, they said:
“The Dearborn Public Schools is in the process of conducting an investigation to gather all the facts associated with this alleged incident and determine if there were any violations of board policy.”
School officials would not say what school the woman teaches at.
Costantino is a teacher herself, which she says makes the situation all the more mind-boggling.
"I don't understand who would trust someone like that with their children and why would a school open themselves up to liability by keeping an employee who would act like that," Costantino said.
She says no one's political views warrant violence.
"It's not worth going to jail over or getting charges brought against you," she said. "It's one thing to fight for what you believe in, but not physically."
Related:
