GRESHAM, Ore. — What began as an alleged confrontation outside a Dollar Tree turned into a frightening encounter for a group of children after an Oregon woman reportedly got behind the wheel of her SUV and chased them through the parking lot.
Alyssa Williams, of Fairview, was 28 years old at the time of the December 2025 incident. Police accused her of using her SUV to chase four children after she claimed they had thrown rocks at her vehicle.
The incident eventually resulted in criminal charges, but Williams will not spend time behind bars.
At her sentencing hearing Friday, Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful use of a weapon. As part of the plea agreement, the charges were reduced from felonies to misdemeanors, while two other counts were dropped.
“It was a bit of a meltdown,” Williams said during the hearing as she apologized for her behavior.
Children Run Into Dollar Tree Seeking Help
According to a probable cause affidavit, police were called after a 12-year-old boy was found screaming inside the discount store.
The boy reportedly told authorities that Williams had tried to hit him and another child with her SUV. He also alleged that she gave the children the middle finger as she pursued them.
Another child reportedly told police that he and a fourth child jumped into a bush to avoid being struck.
The situation was reportedly frightening enough that the children ran into the Dollar Tree looking for help. A store employee told police the children were “trembling” in fear when they entered the business screaming.
The allegations painted a chaotic scene outside the store, with the children trying to get away from the SUV while Williams reportedly continued after them.
Williams Says Children Threw Rocks at Her Car
When officers arrived, they allegedly found Williams sitting inside her SUV with a large canister of nitrous oxide, commonly marketed as “Space Gas,” near her mouth.
Officers said it appeared she was using the substance as an inhalant, according to the affidavit.
Williams reportedly told police that the children had been throwing rocks at her car and that she “chased them” after the confrontation.
She claimed she was trying to “chase them to where they need to go,” according to the affidavit. However, police reportedly found no damage to Williams’ vehicle that could be attributed to the alleged rock throwing.
When officers asked Williams to leave the SUV, she allegedly told them, “You’re going to have to pull me out.”
A 13-year-old boy also told police that Williams allegedly called the group derogatory names, including a racial slur, and threatened to beat them.
Woman Avoids Jail After Plea Deal
Williams faced multiple allegations stemming from the incident. Charges of menacing and disorderly conduct were filed but were never pursued by prosecutors.
Under the plea agreement, Williams pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful use of a weapon. The felony charges were reduced to misdemeanors, and two additional counts were dismissed.
Williams was sentenced to 36 months of formal probation on each count, with the sentences running concurrently. She therefore faces three years of probation rather than consecutive probation terms.
Her probation also includes drug and alcohol treatment. Williams has no prior criminal history, which was among the circumstances surrounding the sentencing and plea agreement.
Parents Agreed to the Plea Agreement
Prosecutors said Friday that the parents of the children involved in the incident agreed to the plea deal. According to prosecutors, the parents believed Williams was genuinely sorry for what happened.
That agreement helped bring the case to an end without Williams receiving a jail sentence.
The case nevertheless highlights how quickly a confrontation in a retail parking lot can escalate, particularly when children are involved.
For the children who ran into the Dollar Tree seeking help, the incident reportedly became a terrifying encounter. For Williams, it ended with a criminal conviction, three years of probation and court-ordered treatment rather than time behind bars.
Do you think the sentence was appropriate given the allegations in this case? Share your thoughts in the comments.
