'Pool Patrol Paula' pleads guilty to assaulting black teen at community pool
Stephanie Sebby-Strempel — who is also known as Pool Patrol Paula — a white woman who attacked an African-American teen at a community pool, has been sentenced for her crime.
On Monday, Sebby-Strempel, 38, of Summerville, S.C., pleaded guilty to assault and battery for the June attack and was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, according to the Associated Press. Sebby-Strempel was not present for the hearing in Dorchester County, reports Charleston news station WCBD-TV.
A video taken on June 24 showed Sebby-Strempel yelling at a group of black teens at the Reminisce pool, including the 15-year-old boy she assaulted. “Get out! Get out now!” she orders the kids, hitting the camera. “There are three numbers I can dial: 9-1-1. Get out. Little punks.”
The video was a viral sensation, and Sebby-Strempel wound up terminated as a contractor by the skin care company Rodan + Fields. A company representative told Yahoo Lifestyle in June, “In accordance with our policies and after assessing statements from law enforcement, this Independent Consultant is no longer affiliated with Rodan + Fields.”
According to an incident report sent Tuesday to Yahoo Lifestyle from the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office, Sebby-Strempel began screaming racial slurs (not heard on camera) at the children before they entered the pool. She also followed the group, hitting the 15-year-old in the chest and striking him twice in the face, while the kids responded “respectful and said, ‘Yes ma’am.'” Sebby-Strempel “is clearly the aggressor in the assault, even going as far as to continue to assault the victim as he was walking away from her.”
The teen experienced minor chest pain from the assault and was seen by Dorchester County Emergency Medical Services.
Detectives came to Sebby-Strempel’s home on June 25 with a warrant for third-degree assault and battery; however, she pushed and bit them on the arm, landing her two more charges of assaulting police officers while resisting arrest.
The victim’s family told WCBD-TV they were satisfied with Sebby-Strempel’s punishment, and her lawyer said her additional charges were dismissed.
The victim’s mother did not return Yahoo Lifestyle’s request for comment.
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