A woman in Pinellas County found herself behind bars after deputies say she assaulted an Uber driver, with witnesses saying they saw her choking the victim.
NBC affiliate WFLA-TV reports the incident took place early Sunday morning, when witnesses saw 55-year-old Michele Stilwell choking the male driver while the car was in motion.
The driver was able to pull the car over, but not before Stilwell was able crawl over the center console and both bite and scratch the victim. After he attempted to call 911, Stilwell allegedly smacked the phone out of his hand.
Witnesses, including one who gave video to the station where the driver could be heard saying “I can’t breathe”, were able to rush over and help the victim by pulling Stilwell off and calling 911.
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Deputies arrived and arrested Stilwell, who was believed to be under the influence of alcohol, on charges of tampering with a witness and aggravated battery. She was released on $15,000 bond.
