Crime & Safety

Male Bicyclist, Female Motorist Fight During Road Rage Incident

Both were arrested.

A bicyclist and a motorist ended up in jail after a Sept. 14 confrontation that began at the intersection of Hwy. 211 and Hwy. 11.

Deputies were dispatched to the location shortly after 5 p.m. in response to a report of an accident and fight. Upon arrival at the scene, the investigating deputy found several vehicles parked along the roadway and a "large crowd" standing nearby. When asked what had happened, several bystanders pointed to a male and female and indicated the two had been fighting.

The female, identified as Latesha White, 41, of Winder, said she was stopped at the stop sign at the same time as the bicyclist, 39-year-old Joseph Chapman of Atlanta. White said she waved at Chapman to go and he waved at her to go. Chapman then turned right on to Hwy. 11.

White told the deputy she could not get around Chapman after he made the turn, so she pulled alongside his bicycle. White said Chapman then spit on her.

"She then stated that she got out of the vehicle and confronted him and they started to fight," the deputy wrote in the arrest report.

Chapman gave a different account of events. According to Chapman, White pulled alongside him and started to "yell and scream" at him. Chapman said White then attempted to hit him with her car. He denied spitting at her, but admitted he did spit.

Several witnesses said the two started and stopped a couple of times at the stop sign, then both proceeded through the intersection. Chapman reportedly was traveling in the middle of the lane when White pulled alongside him.

"One witness stated that [Chapman] spit on [White]. They stated that both were swerving their vehicle and bicycle towards each other," the report stated.

After White exited her vehicle, the fight started.

"One witness stated that the male slammed the female to the ground and that's when he broke it up," the deputy noted. "All of the witnesses were reluctant to give a written statement."

The deputy subsequently placed Chapman and White under arrest for aggressive driving and affray. Both were transported to the Barrow County Detention Center. Chapman's bike and White's car were removed from the scene by a towing company.


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