Driver cuts off, harasses Tesla owner in Lynnwood

Tesla driver targeted in Seattle, WA as concerns grow for car owners

A mother driving a Tesla was verbally attacked and threatened during a road rage incident, leaving her shaken and fearful of driving her car.

LYNNWOOD, Wash. - A mother says she was harassed and cut off by another driver for driving a Tesla, an incident she described as terrifying and unprovoked. The confrontation, which was caught on video, occurred while she was on her way to a doctor’s appointment in Lynnwood Wednesday morning.

The backstory:

Leigh, who has driven a Tesla for the past two years, said she first noticed the aggressive driver honking behind her as she approached a red light.

"Thankfully, I was by myself," Leigh said. "When I made a left turn, they followed me and cut around me."

According to Leigh, the situation escalated when a white SUV cut her off and stopped in the middle of the road. The driver then got out, approached her vehicle, and began berating her.

Driver cuts off, harasses Tesla owner in Lynnwood

"He gets out and walks straight up to my door window. So I cracked my window and I said, ‘What? What is the problem?’" she recalled. "He goes, ‘You need to sell your car. This is a Nazi car. You're driving it, you need to sell your car.’"

Visibly shaken, Leigh continued her account, saying the driver, wearing a camouflage jacket and a ski mask, lowered the mask to tell her that she "needed to learn to drive" before returning to his car.

"I could only see his eyes. He also had a large bag in front of him and baggy clothes. I had no idea if I was safe or not. It certainly felt very threatening and harassing," Leigh said.

The mother says the incident left her feeling particularly vulnerable.

"I think just the unknowns," Leigh said. "Obviously, this isn’t the first time I’ve driven my car and experienced minor incidents, but to be cut off and approached in my own vehicle, in the middle of the road, at what point do I have any power? I felt very threatened."

She expressed frustration that a personal choice about her vehicle led to such an attack.

"Just really sad that this is what's happening to people," she said. "Honestly, it doesn't affect how I believe or what I believe—it's just the car I drive."

Leigh says she bought the car about two years ago. Not only was it convenient for her family, but they chose to drive Teslas because they'd like to protect the environment.

"Being in Seattle, climate’s important, our footprint’s important. This seemed like the right move for our very busy family," Leigh said. "We drive a lot, and it saves us on gas now it feels like a huge risk, it’s scary."

The incident is part of a growing trend of hostility toward Tesla owners. Earlier this week, a Tesla service center in Las Vegas was set ablaze, with the word "RESIST" left behind. In Oregon, shots were fired at a Tesla dealership, and in Massachusetts, charging stations were torched.

Tensions have escalated since Tesla CEO Elon Musk took a prominent role in the Trump administration while slashing government jobs and spending. Some critics have targeted Tesla owners as a way to protest Musk’s policies.

"It felt so intentional," Leigh said. "Felt exactly what he was there to do."

Adding to the concerns, a now-defunct website was reportedly sharing the personal information of Tesla owners, urging them to sell their vehicles.

"If it was easy to just turn over a $60,000 car and find something new that works, that’s one thing," Leigh said. "That’s not a decision that everybody can make overnight and I think that puts a lot of us in a hard position."

Since the confrontation, Leigh says she has altered her driving routes, opting for highways instead of back roads to avoid stop signs and feel safer. She has filed multiple reports regarding the incident, but it remains unclear if the suspect will face any consequences.

This is a developing story.

The Source: Information in this story is from original FOX 13 Seattle reporting and interviews.