Zampatti sentencing brings close to 3-year-ongoing drama

It seems that 4-year-old Christian Zampatti will not get to stay with his mommy, despite her impassioned plea for financial support to hire a new detective and appeal attorney to prove her innocence of 14-felony crimes that shocked Ponte Vedra Beach on April 23, 2010.

Andrea Lee Zampatti, the Canton Georgia woman who was 37-years-old at the time she got behind the wheel of her SUV and charged at five civilians and two deputies, then attempted to flee from police, was found guilty of all charges on July 25th, after a non-jury trial that was held May 30th. Even though Zampatti underwent multiple mental health examinations and a toxicology screening after the incident, no clear reason for the rampage has been determined.

“My son and I might be separated forever and we need your help, desperately, to put the REAL criminals behind what happened to me and Christian behind bars,” Zampatti wrote on her fundraising website; where 20 contributors donated a total of $925. “I have always been the first to reach out and help everyone I could; and, praise God, I have letters coming in daily to show this, and who I am.”

Zampatti was convicted of aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, aggravated attempt to elude with serious injury, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer with a deadly weapon, two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon causing bodily harm, two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, six counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and resisting arrest with violence. Today she was sentenced to a 33-year prison term.

Shortly before 7:30 a.m. that morning, deputies responded to a report of a reckless driver who had struck a mailbox on Ponte Vedra Boulevard. The vehicle matched the description of a second report of a hit-and-run vehicle-versus-bicyclist in the 1200 block of South Ponte Vedra Boulevard. The cyclist was taken by air ambulance to UF Health in Jacksonville with serious injuries. Zambatti, who was driving, fled the area and was located by a deputy on Palm Valley Road at the roundabout. Zampatti reversed her vehicle and plowed into the front of the deputy’s car and again fled eastbound on Palm Valley Road. She struck another vehicle, and possibly a scooter, as she continued eastbound.

A second deputy deployed stop sticks that Zampatti avoided. She aimed her vehicle at the deputy; but, the first deputy, who was still in pursuit, struck her car, causing it to spin and miss the officer. Zampatti headed westbound and struck another vehicle before striking a box truck, head on, in the area of Landrum Lane. She got out of the vehicle and fled on foot on Landrum Lane; where deputies caught up to her and took her into custody.