HOUSTON – A Houston woman was arrested Tuesday after she ran over her neighbor twice while he was mowing his lawn, according to prosecutors.
Pebbles Hines, 46, appeared in court Wednesday on a charge of aggravated assault on a family member in connection with the case. Despite the charge, both families say Pebbles has no familial relation to the man she allegedly ran over. Police say the victim, Lee Preston, was her neighbor.
Prosecutors said during the hearing that officers were called to the southeast side neighborhood near Belneath Street and Southbank after a report of someone being intentionally hit by a vehicle.
They said officers found the victim had suffered a broken hip, a broken right shoulder and a broken right leg. The victim told investigators that he was cutting his grass when he saw Hines backing her vehicle out of her driveway, according to prosecutors. They said the victim reported Hines began driving right toward him, ran over him, turned around and ran over him a second time.
"He has a fracture on his spine and his neck," said Lee's sister, Angelique Preston. "He still has bullet fragments in his neck from when he was shot seven years ago."
Prosecutors and the parents of Hines said Hines and the victim had dated in the past, and Hines was convicted of assault involving a deadly weapon in 2008 for shooting the victim in the neck. However, Hines' brother and the family of the victim said they never had a relationship and used to be friends.
"It was never a relationship," said Angelique Preston. "He was cool with her at one point."
Hines' parents said their daughter was diagnosed with schizophrenia after the 2008 shooting incident. They said she had been on medication ever since. They struggled to find her long-term mental health care. They also tried to watch her every move.
"We just wanted her to get well," said Hines' father.
However, they said there are dwindling resources for those with mental health problems.
Preston's 26-year-old son Deshaun Preston said Hines had been following Preston and his family around.
"He tells me he'd be scared that she'll do something because he'll call me at night and just be like, 'Hey, what you doing? Just come over and stay the night with me because I don't know about this lady next door,'" Deshaun Preston recalled.
"She was taunting everybody, my dad will come, she'll hide behind this tree -- barking at him, cursing him out," Angelique Preston said.
Hines' brother said she just got out of prison five months ago. Hines was being held in jail on $75,000 bond.
Hines' parents said they hope that their daughter gets consistent and reliable help.
"I'm not looking for her to get out and put her on the street. They need to get her into a facility, long-term care," said Hines' mother.
