MEMPHIS, Tenn.– Police are looking for an ax-wielding man caught on camera damaging a 76-year-old man’s SUV after a fender bender in East Memphis.
The victim, who did not want to be identified by name, said he and his girlfriend went fabric shopping Saturday morning. He said they were headed east on Poplar near Goodlett when he rear-ended a Chevy Impala.
The victim said he pulled over and saw the other driver exit the Impala with something in his hand. The next thing he knew, a man was swinging an ax toward his vehicle.
“It’s seemed more menacing as he got closer,” he said. “He took a huge swing and knocked out the back window with one or two swings. Then he came to the driver’s side and started whacking at the door with the ax and put a hole in the driver’s side door. Then came around to the front with the ax, and put a hole in the windshield, and cracked it toward the middle. We were afraid for our lives”.
A group of women who traveled from Paragould, Arkansas, to do some shopping in Memphis captured most of what happened on their cell phones.
“We were all freaking out,” said one of the witnesses who did not want to be identified.
She said they saw debris on the road and realized there had been an accident. Then, she saw the driver of the Impala get out of his car with the ax and start smashing the windows of the other vehicle. She said she couldn’t believe what she was seeing.
“My husband had just told us that morning that we really didn’t need to be going to Memphis by ourselves because it was four women. I said we’ll be okay, and then when this happened, I was like, oh my gosh.”
The women and the victims both called 911. The older driver said the man with the ax was taunting him, trying to get him to come out of his vehicle.
“He was like, come out, come out, come out. Meet me. And I did not want to do that,” said the victim.”
He said that he and his girlfriend were so traumatized by what was happening that it didn’t even occur to them to drive away.
“I don’t remember much. I didn’t sleep much that night. I was scared. I thought he was going to come through the windshield,” said the girlfriend.
After the man vandalized the SUV, he got in his car and left. He is now facing charges of aggravated assault.
Witnesses were able to give officers a tag number. If you recognize the suspect or know where he is, call CrimeStoppers at (901)528-CASH.
Via WREG