The growing hostility toward Tesla drivers took a disturbing turn on March 19, when a 61-year-old woman was allegedly assaulted by a man on Route 66 in Flagstaff, Arizona — an incident that’s now drawing national attention and raising fresh concerns about politically motivated road rage.
The altercation, caught on camera and confirmed by local authorities, unfolded after the male driver of a green Chevrolet Cavalier reportedly boxed in the woman’s Tesla. The suspect, 33-year-old Robert Artherton, then exited his vehicle and confronted the woman, who says she barely had time to speak before she was met with violence.
“I started to say, ‘You cut me off, what’s your problem?’ but I didn’t know how much he heard me,” the woman recalled in an interview with Arizona Family. “He got out and started to punch me with a closed fist.”
Thankfully, a passenger from the Cavalier intervened and pulled the man away — a moment also captured in the footage. Both parties sustained minor injuries. Artherton has since been charged with disorderly conduct, assault, and aggressive driving.
This 61-year-old woman was assaulted while driving Route 66 near Flagstaff, Arizona.
Her “crime?” Driving a Tesla.
Unable to come to terms with their historic loss in November, & spurred on by the incendiary anti-Elon rhetoric of the leaders of their party, the radical left has… pic.twitter.com/a6LBLa7Fkj
— Office of Congressman Abe Hamadeh (@RepAbeHamadeh) March 30, 2025
But this wasn’t just a road rage incident, according to some. The victim — who asked to remain anonymous — believes she was targeted because she was driving a Tesla. “I didn’t buy my car for a political statement,” she said. “My politics have nothing to do with that. I’m ashamed of our society and what they are doing.”
And she’s not alone. Another Tesla owner told reporters that she recently found a hateful note on her windshield while parked at a grocery store. The note read, “When she’s a Nazi and loser! XOXO.”
This rise in anti-Tesla hostility comes as Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, has become an increasingly visible figure in President Donald Trump’s administration. His alignment with the Trump White House has fueled backlash among political opponents — and now, it seems, some of that resentment is finding its way to Tesla owners themselves.
While Flagstaff police say they haven’t found direct evidence that the March 19 incident was politically motivated, they confirmed the situation involved “driving behavior, honking, and disorderly hand gestures” from both vehicles. Witnesses reported both drivers were operating their vehicles erratically.
Still, Republican leaders like Rep. Abe Hamadeh aren’t waiting for additional evidence to voice concern. “Unable to come to terms with their historic loss in November, and spurred on by the incendiary anti-Elon rhetoric of the leaders of their party, the radical left has resorted to violence,” Hamadeh said Sunday. “This needs to stop before more people are hurt.”
