Mom charged with hitting other mom in school lunchroom

TAMPA — Students at Westchase Elementary School got an eyeful and an earful Monday when a mom came into the lunchroom and hit another mom, officials said.

Reginene Legette, 42, walked up to a table where 8-year-olds were eating and punched Mickey Carney, 41, several times on the left side of her face, sheriff's spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

When deputies arrived, Legette ignored their orders and ran from them. When they pursued her, she jabbed one deputy in the chest and scuffled with another, Carter said. She cursed at them as they escorted her, handcuffed, through the school.

Legette of 9805 Bridgeton Drive was arrested just after noon, and charged with trespassing on school grounds, disorderly intoxication, disrupting an assembly, battery striking or touching, two charges of battery on a law enforcement officer and obstructing or opposing an officer. She was released on $5,750 bail.

Comments on this article

by ed	Oct 5, 2008 9:53 AM
life is great and this is life, o it meant not be your life but it is real life and i love it

by R. J.	Oct 5, 2008 9:52 AM
this is very sad, makes me very angry that she is already out of jail. I hope the woman who was injured sues her.

by ME	Oct 5, 2008 9:52 AM
this is a sad case if this mom came in there like that then what kind of home life does the child have. Was there an affair that possibly drove her to act so belligerent at the child's school. Sad just sad.

by ME	Oct 5, 2008 9:52 AM
Jake it sounds like you may know Regenine - if so get her some help to deal with things rationally instead of getting drunk and going off on someone the way she did. It sounds like a love triangle since I see others talking about a husband.

by Vera	Oct 5, 2008 9:52 AM
uhm, c'mon, i REALLY need to know some more particulars. Is our society disentegrating and this is just a sympton, or, is there some 'history' between these two characters that we are unaware of?

by Janet	Oct 5, 2008 9:52 AM
Sorry Lynne, whatever the reason for the fight, the choice of location is inexcusable. I hope CPS is called to investigate that home. If she has so little aggression control in public, I shudder to think what she does to her children in private.

by jenna	Oct 5, 2008 9:51 AM
School security means sign in at the main office and wear a visitor decal. Cold wine in her purse? Opened? Where was her purse? Beat the crap out of another woman during school? Carny dissed her child or its over a man. Make sure she gets jail time

by Albert	Oct 5, 2008 9:51 AM
It may be entertaining to find out the reason for this occurance.

by Joe	Oct 5, 2008 9:51 AM
The idea that an adult was able to walk into an elementary or middle school without being asked intent or having her bag checked at the office is rediculous! She should have shown ID and that would have tipped off people to the wine in her purse!

by JT	Oct 5, 2008 9:51 AM
To comment by Lynne, get real one doesn't need to know why, the woman was drunk and embarrased her own child along with frightening the other children. She came to the school with the full purpose of what she was going to do.

by Deela	Oct 5, 2008 9:51 AM
Why did she do it in the first place??? Anyone???

by Audrey	Oct 5, 2008 9:51 AM
Wow, that is really setting a bad example for the kids.That woman should have her kids taken away if she has any. how dare her do this in front of kids.I hope she gets a good jail sentence.

by marl	Oct 5, 2008 9:51 AM
Lynne, why do you think it matters why the fight happened? There is no excuse for such poor and inappropriate behavior i a school. What kind of role models are these parents?

by Scottie	Oct 5, 2008 9:51 AM
While I would love to know the reason behind this outrageous behavior, I think that it DOES NOT belong in a public facility. Especially, NOT in a school or anywhere around children!

by Brenda

Oct 5, 2008 9:51 AM

I have to agree with the first comment by Lynne. We don't know the full story. Yes, most likely Ms. Legette may be nothing more than a lunatic drunk and a trouble maker. However, maybe not? Given certain circumstances, and being in certain situations myself as of late, and the stress involved, I can see where somebody might snap one day and just all out loose-it! People can only put up with so much nonsense. When being fed with it daily and in heavy doses, the stress can become to much. When that person can find no resolve, yeah... someone is liable to get hurt. Granted, it's not the appropriate way to handle things, but it can become unbearable.

by marsha	Oct 5, 2008 9:50 AM
I work for the school out where i live, i feel sorry for the children that had to watch this woman act like a 3 year old. Chances are the other woman did nothing to desrve what this woman did to her. she deserves to go to jail and apologize.

by sharon	Oct 5, 2008 9:50 AM
what is this world coming to? I hope she loses her kids til she takes some courses regarding her anger, drinking, and just plain old stupidity. Poor kids being raised in such an environment.

by Sharon	Oct 5, 2008 9:50 AM
Way to show your kids how to handle their anger! Aren't you proud of yourself!

by Grandma	Oct 5, 2008 9:50 AM
Mothers are a bit old and to be fighting in front of their kids? I would expect it from young parents, who may still be immature. Lock up drunko Rocky and throw away the key - not only is she disgusting, she makes me ashamed to be a woman!

by Tyrone	Oct 5, 2008 9:50 AM
"Reginine", no further comment needed.

by Sharon	Oct 5, 2008 9:50 AM
Way to show your kids how to handle their anger! Aren't you proud of yourself!

by frank	Oct 5, 2008 9:50 AM
Dang, no photos? Half the fun!

by Beverly	Oct 5, 2008 9:49 AM
Lynne, it doesn't matter what the "story" is; it is not acceptable to hit someone. Legette is a grown woman. You just don't attack someone. The woman is a lowlife. Period. She deserves whatever she gets as she goes through the legal system.

by Me	Oct 5, 2008 9:49 AM
I hope that Legettes child is now in the custody of someone who is not prone to sudden violent attacks, let alone someone who is intoxicated before noon on a Monday.

by Azy	Oct 5, 2008 9:49 AM
Why is everyone so concerned with what ticked this lunatic off? Does it even matter? As if it'd condone exposing 8-year-olds to this behavior. Kids often follow parental examples, so who gets it next? Her kid's classmates, no doubt. Another CPS case.

by fern	Oct 5, 2008 9:48 AM
does any one have to guess the ethinicty of the perp?

by Beverly	Oct 5, 2008 9:48 AM
Lynne, it doesn't matter what the "story" is; it is not acceptable to hit someone. Legette is a grown woman. You just don't attack someone. The woman is a lowlife. Period. She deserves whatever she gets as she goes through the legal system.

by Byna	Oct 5, 2008 9:48 AM
That Mom should have her kids taken from her. She is just teaching her kids tha violence is the answer to everything.

by dan	Oct 5, 2008 9:44 AM
yea, we need to know the whole story, not many people go in and randomly start fights with mothers during the middle of elementary lunch, not saying she was justified but there must have been a reason of some sorts to why she was there, intoxicated.

by dan	Oct 4, 2008 2:33 PM
yea, we need to know the whole story, not many people go in and randomly start fights with mothers during the middle of elementary lunch, not saying she was justified but there must have been a reason of some sorts to why she was there, intoxicated.

by Mary	Oct 3, 2008 6:26 PM
Shouldn't she also be charged with DUI if she drove to the school?

by pasco mom	Oct 2, 2008 2:29 PM
It is completely and absolutely ignorant to pass judgment on something you know nothing about. You don't know the circumstances surrounding the two women so why open your mouth and look stupid? Yes I feel bad for the kids but we don't have the facts.

by tricia	Oct 2, 2008 2:17 PM
The kids of this crazy wacko are my concern. Will DCF SEE TO THEIR PROTECTION? The crazies in Florida seem to make their own rules and the kids are left hanging. WHAT EXACTLY IS DCF'S DEFINITION OF CHILD SAFETY IN FLA? 1 MEAL A DAY, NOT DEAD YET?

by Greg	Oct 2, 2008 10:37 AM
There's a reasobn why there is no mug shot here. It was a black on white crime and we could not want to inflame tensions now, would we?

by Sam	Oct 2, 2008 10:36 AM
Why are you sure she did not come to the school with ulterior motives? She was inebriated. Needs to go elsewhere.