An Arizona woman claimed she was boxed in on a busy highway and beaten up by another driver who targeted her for driving a Tesla.
The 61-year-old woman, who goes by Susan, told Arizona’s Family that she driving was along Route 66 in Flagstaff on March 18 when another vehicle started chasing her.
Shocking footage of the attack showed the green car pulling up next to Susan’s Tesla, then swerving in front to box her in.
The driver of the green car approached Susan while she was still at the wheel, then allegedly started attacking her.
‘I started to say, you cut me off what’s your problem, but I didn’t know how much he heard me,’ said Susan. ‘He got out and started to punch me with a closed fist.’
Susan claimed she bit the man’s hand during the attack. A few minutes later, the passenger of the green car pulled the attacker away and got them to drive off.
Flagstaff police told the local news outlet that the driver of the green car was cited and is due in court on Monday.
It’s unclear what events caused the physical altercation, but the woman believes that she was targeted because she was driving a car made by Elon Musk’s company.
An Arizona woman claimed she was boxed in on a busy highway and beaten up by another driver who targeted her for driving a Tesla
Shocking footage of the attack showed the green car pulling up next to Susan’s Tesla , then swerving in front to box her in
‘I’m just appalled. I didn’t buy my car for a political statement. I bought my car because its really fun to drive,’ Susan said.
‘My politics have nothing to do with that. I’m ashamed of our society and what they are doing.’
It is the latest in a slew of incidents of Tesla drivers being targeted, threatened and attacked as backlash towards the company’s billionaire owner, Elon Musk.
Attacks on property carrying the logo of Musk’s electric-car company are cropping up across the US and overseas.
While no injuries have been reported, Tesla showrooms, vehicle lots, charging stations and privately owned cars have been targeted.
There’s been a clear uptick since president Trump took office and empowered Musk to oversee a new Department of Government Efficiency that’s slashing government spending.
Experts on domestic extremism say it’s impossible to know yet if the spate of incidents will balloon into a long-term pattern.
In Kansas, a disabled woman was left distraught after a man caused up to $10,000 of damage to her expensive Tesla while she enjoyed a meal with her family.
Abigail Gill was dining at Olive Garden in Wichita with her family when they noticed her brand new red Tesla had deep scratches running the length of the vehicle after their meal on March 20, according to KAKE News.
In Kansas, a disabled woman was left distraught after a man caused up to $10,000 of damage to her expensive Tesla while she enjoyed a meal with her family
Gill said the vandal – who was dressed in Lilo and Stitch pajamas pants – caused up to $10,000 in damage to her new car
The young woman, who is wheelchair-bound, believes her vehicle was targeted due the brand belonging to Elon Musk and is the latest in a string of Tesla attacks.
‘Damaging a personal vehicle does not affect Elon Musk,’ she criticized to the local outlet. ‘It’s not damaging who you’re thinking it is.’
Gill said the vandal – who was dressed in Lilo and Stitch pajamas pants – caused up to $10,000 in damage to her new car, which can range between $40,000 and $100,000 depending on the model and upgrades.
‘It felt really disappointing that this is happening in such a great country, a great state. For this to be happening in Kansas of all places, it’s shocking,’ she said.
The alleged criminal was seen initially walking by her car without incident, but roughly 45 minutes later, he exited the restaurant and was caught on the car’s cameras driving a key into the paint along the driver’s side door.
He would later do the same to the passenger’s side door as he left with a bag of leftovers and a red backpack with Lilo and Stitch stuffed keychains on it.
