A U.S. high school track athlete is facing a misdemeanour charge of assault and battery after hitting a fellow competitor in the head with a baton during a relay race.

Alaila Everett, a senior at I.C. Norcom High School in Portsmouth, issued a misdemeanor charge of assault and battery over baton strike.

Alaila Everett has been charged after the incident involving fellow runner Kaelen Tucker at the Virginia State High School ...

A high school senior has been charged after hitting a competitor in the head with a baton during a track meet.

NEW: High school track runner gets attacked with a baton in the middle of a relay at the VSHL Class 3 State Indoor Championships. Kaelen Tucker was on the second leg of the 4x200m relay at Liberty ...

Alaila Everett, a high school senior, said she lost her balance and accidentally hit the other girl when she was pumping her arms.

Watch: High School Track Athlete Faces Criminal Charges After Allegedly Accidentally Striking Runner with Baton ...

The episode at an indoor relay race in the Virginia state championships has raised the question of whether it was intentional or an accident.

An I.C. Norcom High School athlete has been charged after a track incident that went viral, according to Bethany Harrison, Commonwealth's Attorney for Lynchburg.

A senior at I.C. Norcom High School faces an assault and battery charge in connection to the March 4 incident in Virginia.

Everett say she lost her balance during a 4x200 m relay race in Virginia, causing her to strike another runner with the baton she was holding.

Footage of the race shows the I.C. Norcom runner appearing to raise her baton and swing at one of her opponents ...