Grinning driver 'deliberately mounted curb and ran over teen girl, 14, because she was Mexican'

A GRINNING driver deliberately mounted a curb and ran over a 14-year old girl because she was Mexican, authorities say.

Nicole Marie Poole Franklin, pictured with a chilling smirk in her mugshot, has been charged with attempted murder after allegedly confessing to cops in Clive, Iowa.

Franklin also ranted about Latinos in a “series of derogatory comments,” police said.

Chief Michael G. Venema said in a statement: “I want to say, in the strongest terms possible, that there is no place in our community (or any other) for this type of hatred and violence.

“We are committed to stand by and support this family and work diligently with them to seek justice.”

Franklin drove her black Jeep Grand Cherokee onto the sidewalk where the girl was walking near a junior high school at around 4:18pm on December 9.

The girl, who was walking to an after-school activity, suffered “numerous injuries” all over her body.

Police had requested help in finding the driver of what initially seemed to be a hit-and-run, and arrested Franklin on Thursday.

Franklin is being held in the Polk County Jail on a $1 million bond.

She is also charged with assault, intoxication, possession of an undisclosed controlled substance and theft in the fifth degree, jail records show.

• Parts of this article originally appeared on the New York Post

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