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Houston roadside seller charged after shooting competitor during dispute, court documents say

After a dispute over a street corner, prosecutors said Jessica Taylor, 29, shot a competing roadside seller in the head and drove away.

HOUSTON — A Houston woman could face upgraded charges if the man she’s accused of shooting succumbs to his injuries and dies.

Jessica Nicole Taylor, 29, faces one count of felony aggravated assault causing serious bodily injury.

Court documents state that Taylor and the "complaining witness" were involved in roadside sales. It’s believed one or both of them got paid to distribute government subsidized cellphones.

On Friday, the two vendors fought over a spot at the corner of Fulton and Deerfield in north Houston, according to prosecutors. During the dispute, they allegedly damaged each other’s booths before the competing vendor was accused of putting Taylor’s tent in his vehicle.

In probable cause court Saturday, Magistrate Eva Flores read aloud the details of the case.

“There was an initial argument that escalated to property damage that then escalated to the defendant going to her car, getting a gun, shooting the gun into the ground, then shooting the complainant in the head,” she said.

After the shooting, prosecutors allege Taylor drove away without calling for help. On Monday, the family of the man who was shot told KHOU 11 News he likely won’t survive.

“The defendant then got in her car and left the scene, did not call an ambulance, did not call for any assistance, did not call the police, went and met with her coworkers, her mother had to bring her back to the scene,” Flores said in court.

Taylor was later apprehended and brought in for questioning before her arrest. She has at least two violent offenses on her record that were previously dismissed.

Taylor is being held on a $30,000 bond. Taylor is expected to appear in court for a preliminary appearance in January 2025.

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