JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — A woman was on trial Thursday for attacking two teenage girls in a 2024 road rage incident in Jacksonville. The encounter was recorded by one of the victims.
This all happened near Christ’s Church Academy in Jacksonville.
In the video of the incident, the woman on the left is Jessica Goncalves. You can see and hear Goncalves and one of the teenage victims yelling at each other. It doesn’t take long before it gets physical. Seconds later, you can see Goncalves grab one of the girls by her sleeve and yank her forward.
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The two then become physical with one another and call each other crazy.
Goncalves then lunges at the person recording the encounter and grabs her phone away.
Action News Jax is not identifying the victims because of their age.
Goncalves is charged with two counts of battery. During Thursday’s trial, both victims testified on the stand.
“She grabbed my phone out of my hand and pushed me,” said one of the victims.
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“The first time it was as she was approaching me, she had put her arms out and she had touched my chest,” said the second victim.
The defense tried to make the argument that the girls also attacked Goncalves.
“So you want this court to believe that here you are with your friend, some lady as you describe, gets out of the car, comes over this way, takes your phone. You end up on the ground. You don’t touch her, you don’t kick her, you don’t punch her,” said Robert Slama, Jessica Goncalves’ attorney. “I did not,” replied one of the victims.
An ICE spokesperson confirmed with Action News Jax that Goncalves is not in the country legally, and the outcome in this case could lead to an even larger legal issue for her.
An ICE spokesperson sent us a statement that reads:
Jussica Luana Goncalves is an illegalalien from Brazil who was encountered by the U.S. Border Patrol on May 1, 2021, near Otay Mesa, California. She was charged with inadmissibility per the Immigration and Nationality Act as an alien present without admission or parole and released on her own recognizance. On Feb. 16, 2025, 287(g)-designated immigration officers encountered Goncalves at the Duval County Jail in Jacksonville, Florida, after she was arrested for child abuse without great bodily harm. She has a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement immigration detainer and, upon completion of local charges, will be turned over to ICE.
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Action News Jax clarified with the spokesperson that he meant to say February 2024.
In court, Goncalves’ lawyer Robert Slama argued that the trial was happening as a way to get Goncalves deported.
“You’re aware that she’s an immigrant, correct?” asked Slama to one of the victims.
“Yes,” said the victim.
“Is it your goal, last question for her to be deported?” Slama asked the victim.
“No,” the victim replied.
Goncalves was found guilty of two counts of battery.
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