A bright and promising Florida high school softball star is paralyzed after she was stabbed multiple times by her ex-boyfriend.
According to a warrant by St. Johns County Sheriff’s Office, Spencer Ross Pearson, 18, has been charged with two counts of attempted premeditated murder and one count of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon causing permanent disability.
It’s unclear if he entered a plea to the charges or retained an attorney to comment on his behalf.
Officers said, “Pearson stabbed several victims outside a Ponte Vedra Beach restaurant. Loved ones have identified two of the victims as Madison Schmitz and her mother Jaclyn “Jacki” Roge.”
Madison, 17, and Roge, 43, met up with friends at Mr. Chubby’s Wings over the weekend, where they spotted Pearson seated at a nearby table.
Madison and her mom left the restaurant to avoid Pearson and were allegedly attacked seconds later in the parking lot.
“Pearson assaulted the teen from behind, catching her off guard and holding her down while he proceeded to stab her approximately 15 times,” a witness said to police. “The girl’s mother attempted to intervene when she was also stabbed in the head and leg.”
A bystander who was able to dislodge the weapon from Pearson was also wounded during the attack. Pearson then proceeded to slit his throat in an attempt to kill himself.
Madison’s sister, Tatiana Cruceta said, “The stabbing has left my sister paralyzed, but our family is optimistic that with time, she will be back to playing softball on the field again. Madison is a fighter, you know. She’s going to make it through this, and I know she is going to walk out of this hospital. She has already had multiple surgeries to heal her so far.”
Madison had two punctured lungs and spinal fluid leakage. Madison’s mother was treated for several severed arteries from cuts to her face and thigh and the innocent bystander, who disarmed Pearson, had suffered similar injuries to his hand.
Cruceta added, “Madison’s the sweetest person you’ll ever meet, she’s always smiling, always. So as soon as I answered the phone, we all call her ‘Sass,’ that’s her nickname, so I said, ‘How you doin, Sass, how you feelin?’ And she goes, ‘Oh just dandy.’ So, she was cracking jokes and trying to be strong.”
Madison and the suspect were previously in a relationship. In April 2023, he allegedly began to stalk and harass Madison following their breakup.
“There were some issues in the past after they’d broken up, where he was threatening her safety,” Cruceta said. “My mother was looking to get a restraining order against him, so this was definitely premeditated.”
So far, Pearson is currently hospitalized and being treated for his self-inflicted injuries and it’s not clear if he will survive at this time. If he does make it through he will automatically be taken into custody and face a court trial.
