Mother accused in Kenwood assault says victim provoked her son

CINCINNATI (FOX19) - A woman accused of assault during a fight in the parking lot of the Kenwood Towne Centre Tuesday says she wants to set the record straight over what happened.

Alicia Josshua, 48, was arrested around midnight Tuesday, according to the Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office. She was released on bond Wednesday morning.

Her son, Joshua Ward, 23, is still wanted by authorities.

They got into a verbal argument with 55-year-old Brian Miller over a parking space around 1:30 Tuesday afternoon, a news release from the sheriff’s office said.

The release says the situation escalated, and both Josshua and Ward assaulted Miller, causing serious injuries to his face.

Josshua told FOX19 NOW Wednesday the fight was not over a parking space, but over what she claims the victim said to her and her daughter.

Josshua says her daughter was standing in a parking spot holding it for her sister. That’s when another driver tried to park in the spot as Miller was standing by.

“It wasn’t over a parking space,” she said. “The person that was waiting over the parking space—we didn’t have an issue. We smiled about it and kept on going. He got out of his own truck next to the parking space my daughter was waiting on, and then he decided he wanted to say something to my daughter.”

Josshua says Miller told the other driver: “‘Oh, just hit the little B, I’ll stand here and watch.‘”

“And I thought he was joking,” Josshua said. “And then I said, ‘Sir, let’s not do this today. Let’s have a peaceful day.‘”

Josshua says her son then asked Miller why he called his mother a derogatory word.

“He kept scooting closer to my son, and then he took his right arm and took a shot at him, and they began wylin’ in the parking lot.”

Josshua says they began to walk away, and that’s when Miller walked toward them and threw a liquid on her.

After that, video shows Ward strike Miller several times.

Miller declined FOX19 NOW’s request for comment.

Ward is now charged with felony assault, and Josshua with misdemeanor assault.

“He should have been charged,” Josshua said referring to Miller. “He provoked it. He escalated it, and he provoked someone to hit my daughter with a car.”

Josshua is due back in court next month.

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