Four people have been hospitalized after the ex-boyfriend of a high school softball star stabbed the teen and her mother before being restrained by a passerby, whom he attacked before attempting suicide.
The incident occurred on June 3, 2023, when Madison Schemitz, 17, was having lunch with her mother and a friend.
The perpetrator, 18-year-old Spencer Pearson, had recently graduated from Ponte Vedra High School and was a former football player. Schemitz had recently ended their relationship due to Pearson’s history of threatening her with violence over several months. Schemitz’s mother, Jackie Roge, had been attempting to obtain a restraining order against the young man.
Casey Estep, a close friend of Roge, was present during the incident and recounted her observations. Estep noticed Pearson, recognizing the school logo on his attire, which indicated he attended the same school. Sensing the urgency, the group quickly made plans to leave. While Estep was finalizing the bill, Pearson sprinted toward them in the parking lot.
According to Estep, Roge acted instinctively to protect her daughter. Pearson viciously attacked Schemitz and her mother. Kennedy Armstrong, a 22-year-old passerby, heard their cries for help and rushed to their aid. He witnessed Pearson repeatedly stabbing Schemitz while her mother sustained stab wounds to her leg and forehead.
Armstrong intervened, forcibly removing Pearson from the scene. Pearson turned his attention towards Armstrong and severed an artery in his hand. Pearson then attempted to take his own life by slashing his throat.
Schemitz underwent multiple surgeries for deep cuts to her spine while her mother, Roge, prepared for surgery for severed muscles in her hand. Armstrong required surgical intervention to reconnect nerves, repair scarring, and treat the severed artery.
Pearson pleaded guilty to two counts of first-degree attempted murder and aggravated battery. He was sentenced to life in prison on Nov. 22, 2024. Judge R. Lee Smith handed down the sentence following a lengthy hearing in St. Johns County, Florida. In her victim impact statement, Schemitz urged the judge to impose the maximum sentence, saying her attacker deserved the same punishment he inflicted on her.
Schemitz has since regained the ability to walk following months of physical therapy at Brooks Rehabilitation. She graduated high school and is now a college sophomore studying criminal justice with a minor in social welfare. She has become a public advocate for domestic violence awareness, partnering with the One Love Foundation and speaking publicly about her experience.
Schemitz and Roge have since filed a civil lawsuit against Pearson, his parents, and the restaurant, alleging inadequate security and negligence in providing Pearson with the knife used in the attack. Roge and Armstrong were later awarded the Carnegie Medal, North America’s highest civilian honor for heroism, in recognition of their actions that day.