POLK COUNTY, Fla. (WFLA) — A 21-year-old Auburndale man intentionally rammed his truck into a BMW that was involved in a minor crash with his girlfriend’s car. Winter Haven Police said the truck’s driver then punched the BMW’s driver multiple times.
Dramatic video shows the driver of a BMW making a U-turn and hitting another vehicle at the intersection at Lake Howard Drive and Avenue C Tuesday afternoon.
“Right behind him was a white pickup truck, which then veered around him and turned And purposefully slammed into the left backside of the BMW,” the witness, Steven Barthel, said.
Barthel said the truck’s driver, identified by Winter Haven Police as Dustin Black, then went to check on his girlfriend and a child in the car.
“He was really, really mad so he walked over to the driver of the BMW who is yelling I’m sorry I’m sorry… and he punched him in the face multiple times,” said Barthel.
Police said Black punched the driver three times. Other neighbors heard the commotion.
“Everybody was yelling and screaming,” said Leslie Harvey, a neighbor.
Barthel feared it could escalate even further, so he called 911.
“Luckily several neighbors came out and they held the driver of the pickup truck person back,” said Barthel.
While this culminated here, Barthel said the crash and the aggression, stemmed from road rage.
“You’re going to go to jail is it worth it?” asked Harvey.
Black was arrested and charged with battery and criminal mischief and went before a Polk County judge today. Black’s bond is set at $3,000.
