Woman Arrested After Striking “Religious Group” in Montana, Police and FBI Keep Group’s Faith a Mystery

 

A woman in Billings, Montana, was arrested after driving her car into a “religious group” gathered near North 27th Street in the downtown area of Billings.

Genevienne Rancuret, 55, of Billings, was arrested after she drove through a religious group several times.

Rancuret has since been charged with eight counts of felony assault, driving under the influence, and felony criminal mischief.

Billings Police Lieutenant Matt Lennick, in a public statement, shared, “The suspect drove at or through the group several times, damaging equipment and injuring a 45-year-old (man).”

 

The FBI is now investigating the crime to see if the incident was a “bias-motivated crime.”

The Billings Police Department and the FBI have both refused to release any details regarding the religious group that was attacked.

Woman intentionally drove through a group of religious people on the sidewalk in Billings, Montana pic.twitter.com/jzfkqehST4

— Aaron Flint (@aaronflint) December 10, 2023

Per AP:

A woman has been arrested after she drove her vehicle several times at or through an unspecified religious group gathered on a sidewalk, hitting and injuring one man, Montana police said Sunday.

Genevienne Rancuret, 55, was pulled over by police in Billings on Saturday a few hours after the episode and taken to jail on charges of felony assault, felony criminal mischief and driving under the influence, police said. It is not known if she has a lawyer representing her yet.

The 45-year-old man who was struck suffered minor injuries, police said.

A police spokesperson did not return a call or email asking for details about what kind of religious group was involved and what Rancuret’s alleged motive was. However, an update from police said that the FBI was also reviewing what happened, along with local prosecutors, suggesting the federal agency was looking into whether it could be a bias-motivated crime.

One man injured, woman arrested after car drives through religious demonstration Saturday | Tap on the picture to learn more https://t.co/nw4RxkshmI

— Billings Gazette (@billingsgazette) December 10, 2023

In the last several months, attacks against members of the Jewish and Muslim faiths have been identified swiftly, which raises questions about why the Billings Police Department, along with the FBI, have labeled the group attacked as just a “religious group.”