Road rage incidents are common these days, but they’re usually between two drivers. One road rage incident in Lee County, Florida, however, took place between a family that doesn’t speak English and a driver of a sports car (a Porsche, nonetheless). Apparently, the Porsche driver got frustrated that the family was in the way, and when she couldn’t understand them, she threatened them with a weapon.
Esmeralda Cruz, 23, is the Porsche driver in question. On October 26, she decided to rev up her sports car along 19th Street Southwest near Ruth Avenue. Surveillance footage and Cruz’s video itself show how she sped dangerously toward a man walking his dog, swerving and narrowly missing him. The man’s family came up shortly to confront Cruz, but they couldn’t understand each other as the family didn’t speak English. As a translator tried to mediate, Cruz grabbed a handgun to threaten the family:
Cruz’s video, which was seized as evidence by the police, has since been reposted to Reddit, and it shows how the family retreated at the sight of her weapon. Witnesses told deputies that Cruz threatened to “light them up” while pointing the gun at them. The man’s wife and daughter were later listed as victims in the assault report. Cruz was arrested at her home and charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Neighbors also told investigators that Cruz had recently moved into the neighborhood and had already drawn complaints for speeding. In fact, deputies had responded to the same area the previous day after the man expressed concern for his children’s safety due to Cruz’s driving habits. Sadly for the aggrieved neighbors, Cruz has since been released on bond as the case moves forward in Lee County court.
People Online Were Appalled at the Porsche Driver’s Ego
While it’s somewhat fortunate for the family that Cruz didn’t follow through with her threat, people online and perhaps those in the immediate neighborhood were concerned about her behavior. Sheriff Carmine Marceno of Lee County confirmed that the investigation revealed ongoing friction between the neighbors related to Cruz’s driving and speeding around the neighborhood streets.
“Eh, with the way she waves a gun around, she’s going to pull it out on the wrong people and learn very fast. Nature will find a way,” says a commenter. Another comment points out just how complacent the family was, and they should’ve run sooner, “The dog was the only one with sense. 🐶 Doggo was like ‘bruh! We gotta go! Can’t u see that [expletive] got a gun?!'”
Others were wondering just how did such a careless and young driver like Cruz managed to get a sports car at such a young age, and that her bond was probably just change money for her, “She rich though, good luck.” Some have assumed that Cruz’s Porsche was merely a rental, “I’m a retired LEO. I quickly learned that a large majority of high end, expensive vehicles (BMW, Mercedes, Porsche, Range Rover, etc) are leased and the drivers live in poorer communities. They try to act rich by driving fancy cars while living in a dump.”
