A former HGTV star is wanted by police. Jennifer Bertrand, who won the third season of HGTV’s Design Star in 2008, is facing a misdemeanor charge after she allegedly drove her Porsche into a school staff member as he was directing traffic for student pickup outside a Platte County, Missouri high school. The Platte County Sheriff’s Department issued a warrant for Bertrand’s arrest on Jan. 31, months after the August 2024 incident.
According to a probable cause arrest affidavit, the incident took place at around 3 p.m. during student dismissal time at a local high school. Bertrand, who was driving a black Porsche sedan, reportedly “cut through the car rider line, nearly striking another vehicle as it was attempting to leave the parking lot.” A school staff member who was directing dismissal traffic and wearing “a high visibility vest,” stepped in front of the Porsche and began speaking to Bertrand, telling her that she could not cut the line. The HGTV star responded that she needed to pick up her child for an appointment, and the victim again said she needed to go to the back of the line and wait.
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As the staffer turned away from Bertrand to resume traffic control duties, Bertrand allegedly “drove her Porsche forward, striking Victim #1 on his leg, and causing him to lose balance” the affidavit said. Although the victim was not hurt, Bertrand allegedly “began laughing and arguing with him.” The victim claimed Bertrand said, “Don’t act like I hit you” and “I’ll see you in court,” before driving away.
Platte County Sheriff’s Deputy Karl Lostroh, who had been was working as a school resource officer (SRO) at the high school that day, said surveillance footage from the school district appeared to support the victims’ claims and showed the Porsche striking the victim’s leg a second time.
“I believe the defendant poses a danger to the crime victim or society because the suspect struck an innocent person with her vehicle and did not [show] any concern for his safety or the safety of children or other pedestrians,” Lostroh wrote in the affidavit.
KCTV5 reported the Platte County Sheriff’s Department issued an arrest warrant for Bertrand on Jan. 31 with a $15,000 cash-only bond. She is facing one second-degree harassment charge, a misdemeanor. A court date hasn’t yet been set, and Bertrand hasn’t publicly commented. It appears her website and social media accounts have been disabled.
Bertrand is a former HGTV personality. Based out of Weatherby Lake, Missouri, the interior designer competed on Season 3 of Design Star in 2008. The series followed 10 aspiring designers as they competed to win their own show. After winning her season, Bertrand went on to host her own show on HGTV called Paint Over. She has also appeared on Lifetime’s Military Makeover with Montel Williams, and has “collaborated with Ronald McDonald House Charities, designing spaces for families in partnership with organizations like the NFL, MLB and MLS,” per her biography.