LOS ANGELES, CA – A Los Angeles couple says a driver deliberately accelerated toward them and their dog during an apparent road rage confrontation in Mid-Wilshire, forcing them to jump out of the way before the vehicle followed them onto the grass near a neighborhood park.
The incident happened shortly before 6:30 p.m. on Aug. 12 near 9th Street and Lucerne Boulevard, close to Harold Henry Park.
The couple said they were walking their miniature Dachshund and speaking on the phone when they stopped near the intersection.
A male driver approached in an orange Mitsubishi Mirage hatchback.
According to the couple, they waved for him to continue through the intersection because they were still on their phone call and were not attempting to cross at that moment.
What began as an ordinary interaction between a driver and pedestrians then escalated rapidly.
“Almost immediately, he started yelling at us,” said the male victim, who asked that his identity not be disclosed because of concerns for his safety.
His fiancée said the motorist began directing profanity at them and questioned whether they spoke English.
The couple said they put down their phone and told the man they did not want to engage in an argument.
“At that point, we put the phone down and just told him, ‘Hey, move along, we aren’t interested in engaging,’” the man said.
Instead of leaving, the driver allegedly turned his vehicle toward the couple.
Dashcam footage recorded by another motorist nearby captured the vehicle accelerating toward the pedestrians as they stood near the sidewalk.
The male victim said there was little time to react.
“It was terrifying and it happened so fast,” he said. “He just turned his car and tried to run us over, completely unprovoked.”
The man said he immediately pulled the couple’s dog out of the vehicle’s path.
Both victims stepped backward as the Mitsubishi narrowly missed them.
They then began running and screaming as the driver allegedly continued following them with the vehicle.
According to the couple, the car moved onto the grass near the park while they attempted to get away.
The driver eventually turned around and headed back toward the roadway.
Before leaving, he allegedly yelled at the couple again, asking whether they were scared, before speeding away.
Neither member of the couple nor their dog was reported physically injured.
The incident was captured on dashcam by a nearby driver, providing investigators with video evidence of portions of the confrontation.
The footage reportedly contains clear images of the suspect’s face as well as the orange Mitsubishi Mirage.
The vehicle also had distinctive bumper stickers and displayed a Colorado license plate, according to the couple.
Those details could potentially help investigators identify the driver.
Information reviewed by Street People indicates the couple reported the incident to the Los Angeles Police Department.
The Mid-Wilshire neighborhood is served by LAPD’s Wilshire Community Police Station, which provides law-enforcement services to communities within the Wilshire Area.
Authorities have not announced an arrest.
Police also have not publicly identified the driver or confirmed whether investigators have located the vehicle.
The couple said the apparent randomness of the confrontation has left them particularly concerned.
Their account indicates there was no prior interaction with the driver before they encountered him at the intersection.
They said they did not know the man and had no dispute with him before he allegedly began yelling.
The encounter escalated within moments from verbal aggression to what the victims described as an attempt to strike them with the vehicle.
“I’m just really scared because this person is obviously unhinged and looking to start altercations with people,” the woman said.
Her fiancé said he is concerned the driver could become involved in another violent confrontation if he is not located.
“If he attacked us, he is likely to attack others and it’s only a matter of time before someone gets really hurt,” he said.
The couple’s description of the incident remains an allegation, and authorities have not released their own detailed reconstruction of the encounter.
Police have not publicly stated what criminal offenses are being investigated or whether detectives have determined the driver’s intent.
Investigators also have not said whether the Colorado license plate visible in the video has led them to a registered owner.
It is not known whether the registered owner, if identified, was the person driving the vehicle during the confrontation.
The video may nevertheless provide a significant amount of investigative information.
In addition to the driver’s appearance and vehicle, footage could help authorities examine the vehicle’s movements before and after it approached the sidewalk.
Detectives may also seek additional residential, business or vehicle cameras from the surrounding area, although police have not said whether any other recordings have been obtained.
No information has been released indicating that the Mitsubishi struck another vehicle, pedestrian or object during the incident.
The couple said the car came close enough that they were forced to move quickly to avoid being hit.
The presence of their small dog added another element of danger because the male victim said he had to pull the animal away while simultaneously trying to move himself out of the vehicle’s path.
The encounter took place during the early evening in a residential neighborhood near a public park.
Authorities have not said whether other pedestrians witnessed the confrontation.
Anyone who sees conduct involving an immediate threat to life or safety should call 911. For non-emergency police response, the Los Angeles Police Department lists 1-877-ASK-LAPD (1-877-275-5273) as its citywide non-emergency number.
The number provided in connection with this investigation is 1-877-527-3247.
The couple is asking anyone who recognizes the driver, his orange Mitsubishi Mirage or the vehicle’s distinctive markings to contact authorities.
No arrest has been announced, and the investigation remains ongoing.
