A drive through a Florida intersection turned into a bizarre road rage dispute that landed a 61-year-old woman behind bars after she allegedly used a can of wasp killer as a weapon.
Tammy Jones was arrested on May 21 in Lake Helen, Florida, following a confrontation with another driver. According to a Volusia County Sheriff’s Office arrest affidavit, Jones pulled her vehicle up next to another woman’s car at an intersection and sprayed her directly with Raid wasp spray.
The incident quickly devolved into a classic “she said, she said” scenario when police questioned both parties, though physical evidence eventually broke the tie.
Jones told responding deputies that the other driver had instigated the fight. According to her statement, the woman pulled alongside her in a Kia and began shouting, accusing Jones of “brake-checking” her. Jones claimed the driver then threw an “unknown yellow object” at her car and issued a warning: “You’re lucky I don’t have my gun with me.”
Stating that she felt genuinely threatened by the mention of a firearm, Jones told police she reacted by blasting the woman with the insect spray before speeding away. When she realized the Kia was trailing her, Jones pulled directly into the Lake Helen Police Department parking lot for safety.
However, the driver of the Kia gave authorities a completely different account. She told deputies that when she pulled up next to Jones’ vehicle to address the driving, Jones simply “just started yelling at her” without provocation. The woman stated that Jones then unprovokedly sprayed her with the chemical, hitting her directly in the eye.
Following the chemical blast, the driver called 911 and pursued Jones straight to the police station to report the assault.
The tiebreaker came down to a quick vehicle inspection by law enforcement. Upon examining the cars, deputies noted physical evidence that strongly backed up the Kia driver’s version of the assault.
Jones was arrested on the spot at the police department and booked into the Volusia County Jail on one count of misdemeanor battery. She posted a $500 bond and was released later that same day. A future court date has not yet been scheduled.
READ: Idling Car And A Burned Home: Tampa Police Link Two Monday Morning Deaths
Please make a small donation to the Tampa Free Press to help sustain independent journalism. Your contribution enables us to continue delivering high-quality, local, and national news coverage.
Sign up: Subscribe to our free newsletter for a curated selection of top stories delivered straight to your inbox
