Man attacks 61-year-old woman in her Tesla in Flagstaff, Arizona

A Flagstaff, Arizona woman has said that she was assaulted over driving her Tesla after she was boxed in by another car on the road. Video from her Tesla's cameras showed a green car come up from behind, cut her off, and then box her in. The driver of the green car then got out of the vehicle, came up to her car, and started hitting the woman while she was still behind the wheel.

“I started to say, you cut me off what’s your problem, but I didn’t know how much he heard me," said the woman, who shared her first name, Susan. The 61-year-old woman told reporters at Arizona's Family that she was driving along Route 66 when a vehicle started chasing her down. “I didn’t buy my car for a political statement. I bought my car because its really fun to drive. My politics have nothing to do with that. I’m ashamed of our society and what they are doing," Susan said. 

The suspect in the attack was identified as Robert Artherton, 33, in a report from the New York Post. He has been charged with disorderly conduct, assault and aggressive driving, according to police. Police have said that the case is still under investigation to determine motive for the incident, but said that “driving behavior, honking, and disorderly hand gestures" fueled the confrontation. This comes as there have been numerous violent attacks on Tesla cars, dealerships, and charging stations. 

Rep. Abe Hamadeh (R-AZ) wrote in a post on X about the incident, "This 61-year-old woman was assaulted while driving Route 66 near Flagstaff, Arizona. Her 'crime?' Driving a Tesla.

"Unable to come to terms with their historic loss in November, & spurred on by the incendiary anti-Elon rhetoric of the leaders of their party, the radical left has resorted to violence. This needs to stop before more people are hurt," he added.