BA Woman Arrested For Assaulting Driver With Flashlight, Apologizes

Broken Arrow Police arrested a woman for assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, saying she used a heavy Maglite flashlight to beat the other driver.

The suspect, Alfreda Mitchell, said she let her emotions get the best of her but that she doesn't have anger issues.

Mitchell said the assault is out of character for her, but it wasn’t her first roadside fight.

It started innocently enough, according to Mitchell. She said, Sunday night, as she drove on 145th near 61st Street in Broken Arrow, the driver in front of her brake-checked her three times.

She wanted to get away so she prepared to make a left turn but said the man pulled in front of her and turned ahead of her.

Mitchell said he slammed on his brakes and she rear-ended him in her brand new car; that’s when both drivers got out.

"He was saying some things to me and I wasn't even paying attention, I just body-slammed him to the ground," Mitchell said.

She claims he came at her so she went to her car and got a flashlight.

Major Mark Irwin with Broken Arrow Police said it became a weapon when Mitchell used it to hit him three times.

“They're heavy and they can do some damage if you're hitting somebody with one," he said.

Mitchell is apologetic.

“I apologize for putting my hands on you and body slamming you,” she said. "Regardless of the situation, I shouldn't have never done that. You shouldn't act out of anger just because a situation is not going the way you want it."

But Mitchell was involved in another incident in 2006. Police said she got into an argument with a friend on I-44, got out of the car and was hit by a semi-truck.

Mitchell said that wasn't road rage but a fight that just happened to take place on an interstate. She said Sunday's incident wasn't road rage either.

"I do not have road rage, I don't have any anger issues; it's just, I was upset at that time because of the vehicle, because it was so new and me spending my hard earned money on it," she said.

Now, Mitchell will spend money on an attorney. Her first court date for the arrest is August 3rd.

Police said the man involved was not seriously injured.