Elizabeth Rodriguez was driving home to Cherryville after watching Charlotte FC win at Bank of America Stadium when a red car rear-ended her vehicle near the Interstate 85 south ramp on Brookshire Boulevard on Friday. What happened next left her and her husband terrified: the other driver got out, cursed, kicked her car, and pounded on the windows before speeding away.
Rodriguez recorded video of the confrontation and spoke with Channel 9 reporter Hannah Goetz about the ordeal, as detailed by WSOC-TV. According to that account, the red car pulled in front of Rodriguez's vehicle before the collision, and the other driver then exited her own car and approached Rodriguez's vehicle, which had its doors locked. The driver never actually got inside Rodriguez's car, but she did beat on the windows while Rodriguez and her husband sat inside, too afraid to respond.
Rodriguez told the station she feared the other driver might go get a weapon during the confrontation, so she called 911 while the altercation was still unfolding. She also tried to photograph the red car's license plate before the driver got back in and left the scene. Rodriguez said the encounter cost her more than just a dented car — she gave up concert tickets for the following night in Charlotte, too shaken to go out again so soon.
Police Arrive, But the Other Driver Is Gone
Rodriguez and her husband caught up to the red car in traffic after the initial confrontation, and police arrived shortly after the incident was reported. Officers did not find the other driver at the scene, per the station's report. Rodriguez said she hopes that going public with the video will help police track down the woman responsible, telling the outlet she wants her apprehended.
As of Monday, the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department reported no update on any arrests. CMPD said the case remains an active and ongoing investigation, according to the same account.
What Charges Could Apply Under North Carolina Law
North Carolina does not have a standalone criminal charge called road rage, so prosecutors typically lean on a handful of existing statutes when these confrontations turn physical, according to FindLaw. Under N.C.G.S. § 20-141.6, aggressive driving is a Class 1 misdemeanor that requires proof a driver was speeding while committing at least two other moving violations, such as following too closely or illegal passing.
Separately, a driver involved in a crash that causes only property damage who fails to stop and exchange information can be charged with a Class 1 misdemeanor under N.C.G.S. § 20-166(c), which carries penalties of up to 120 days in jail and license revocation, per the Vasquez Law Firm. North Carolina law requires all drivers involved in a crash to stop immediately regardless of fault. Kicking or striking another person's vehicle can also constitute willful and wanton injury to personal property under N.C.G.S. § 14-160, which becomes a Class 1 misdemeanor once the resulting damage exceeds $200, according to Powers Law Firm PA.
A Corridor With a History of Violence
Brookshire Boulevard near I-85 is a heavily traveled thoroughfare connecting West Charlotte to regional interstates, and it has seen other violent incidents in recent months. In April, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police responded to a daytime shooting on that same stretch that left one person critically injured, a case Hoodline previously covered. NCDOT crash data cited by Harman Law shows Charlotte recorded 32,932 reportable traffic collisions in 2023, more than double any other municipality in the state, with the I-85 corridor in West Charlotte logging at least 23 fatal crashes between 2019 and 2023.
Statewide, aggressive driving has become a persistent public safety concern. A May 2026 ConsumerAffairs report ranked North Carolina 10th worst in the nation for road rage, tallying 1,509 fatal crashes and 1,619 traffic deaths tied to aggressive or careless driving, an analysis noted an 88% increase in state traffic violations linked to speeding and aggression. Even so, CMPD's July 2026 public safety update showed an 8% drop in overall violent crime and a 4% decline in aggravated assaults during the first half of 2026 compared with the year before.
Why Experts Say Staying in the Car Matters
Rodriguez's decision to keep her doors locked and stay inside her vehicle lines up with what defensive driving experts recommend during a road rage encounter: avoid responding to gestures or shouting, do not exit the car, and do not drive straight home if you believe you are being followed. Research from Everytown Research & Policy found that states without public concealed carry permit requirements see more than triple the rate of road rage shooting victimizations compared to states with stricter carry laws, and other data suggests more than 37% of aggressive driving incidents involve a firearm or weapon threat.
Law enforcement guidance from North Carolina police departments similarly advises drivers targeted during aggressive encounters to call 911 immediately, since dispatchers can track a caller's real-time location and direct patrol units to intervene. Local incidents show how quickly these disputes can turn dangerous. In February, Mecklenburg County deputies arrested a 61-year-old man on felony charges after a roadside argument escalated into a baton attack that injured a woman and damaged her car, a case Hoodline reported at the time in its story on the Matthews baton beatdown arrest. In May, Hoodline also covered a South Charlotte father of four who survived a road-rage shooting, underscoring how these confrontations can escalate well beyond dented bumpers and shouting matches.
