A South Carolina educator who received the “Teacher of the Year” accolade is now embroiled in legal troubles after allegedly trying to run over her child’s father in a Walmart parking lot.

Sade Delesia Nacheyle Nelson, honored in 2025 as “Teacher of the Year” at St. John’s High School in Charleston, South Carolina, faces charges of assault. The accusations stem from an incident during a custody exchange on October 18, where she allegedly attacked both her child’s father and his girlfriend, according to Summerville police, as reported by Live5News.

The 37-year-old is said to have physically assaulted the man and his partner before attempting to hit him with her car.

Footage from surveillance cameras reportedly captured Nelson accelerating her vehicle toward the child’s father, forcing him to leap aside to avoid being hit.

Surveillance video allegedly showed Nelson speeding up toward her child’s father, who had to jump out of the way to avoid being struck by the vehicle.

Nelson faces charges of third-degree assault and battery, domestic violence of a highly aggravated nature, unlawfully placing a child at risk of or causing harm or willfully abandoning a child, according to an incident report.

Sade Delesia Nacheyle Nelson has been placed on administrative leave. (Google Maps)

Police records show that the man told officers he opened the passenger door of Nelson’s car to pick up his son when she began punching him repeatedly, according to the Daily Mail.

He said he fell away from the car attempting to escape her punches.

Surveillance video allegedly showed Sade Delesia Nacheyle Nelson driving toward her child’s father, who had to jump out of the way to avoid being hit. (Summerville Police Department)

Nelson claimed to police that the man attacked her and their son after opening the car door.

The Charleston County School District said Nelson has been placed on administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.