Flagstaff women say they were targeted, assaulted for driving Tesla car
FLAGSTAFF (AZFamily) — The violence against Tesla is building in cities across the country: vehicles set on fire in Las Vegas, graffiti on cars in Colorado, a man caught on camera keying a Model X in Dallas.
Now, Tesla owners are under attack in Arizona. Recently, a woman who wants to remain anonymous under the alias “Susan,” told Arizona’s Family that she was along Route 66 in Flagstaff when another vehicle started chasing her.
“I’m just appalled,” said Susan. “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 has video of the Tesla attack in Flagstaff last week. It shows a green car pulling up next to her Tesla and then swerving in front of it to box it in.
The driver then walks over to the 61-year-old woman in the Tesla and, reportedly, starts hitting her while she’s 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 Susan. “He got out and started to punch me with a closed fist.”
At one point, the victim said she bit the man’s hand. Moments later, the passenger of the green car appears to walk over and pull the attacker away. Finally, they get back in their car and drive off.
Flagstaff police later cited the suspect, who is now due in court on Monday.
The incident is the latest attack or threat against Tesla drivers in Arizona, seemingly targeting them because of the car they drive.
Arizona’s Family spoke to another woman who said she left a grocery store in Flagstaff recently and found a note on her car that said, “She’s a Nazi and a loser.”
A few weeks later, she received a threatening text calling her a “Racist POS.”
“It’s wrong, and it’s deplorable,” said the victim. “I think they are just hating people and not really hurting a company or Tesla.”
Both Tesla owners targeted have recently signed up for a gun safety course at Timberline Firearms, north of Flagstaff.
“They were targeted because they drove a Tesla, and as a result felt quite vulnerable,” said shop owner Rob Wilson. “They were surprised someone would do something like that and realized if they were doing it, and targeting them because of car they drive, they needed to take additional measures to protect themselves.”
“Takedown Tesla” has scheduled more than 200 peaceful protests at Tesla dealerships this weekend. Several of those protests will take place in the metro Phoenix area.
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