SAN JOSE, Calif. (KGO) – A 1-year-old dog and his owner are recovering from a road rage incident caught on camera that appears to show a suspect smashing a car’s back window, injuring the dog inside.
Bambi, a maltipoo who is a little more than 1 year old, is recovering after being nearly blinded in the road rage incident, which happened Nov. 11 in San Jose, California.
“It’s still left him very disabled in a way,” said James, the dog’s owner, who did not want to give away his full identity out of fear.
James was driving with Bambi and another dog when two people in a silver BMW confronted him. He says he believes they were mad at him for not driving over the speed limit.
“He started waving middle fingers and hand signs, and I kind of rolled down the window and asked him, ‘Hey, what’s up? Is there something wrong? Did I do something wrong to you?’” James said. “I guess he got really agitated and mad with that.”
James tried driving away from the incident but says one of the people followed him. Things got violent when they came to a stop.
“The first person who was following me got out of his car with his friend, started punching me through the window,” James said.
Shortly after, video shot by a driver in the area shows another driver get out of a different car, walk over to James’ car and jump on the back window, smashing it.
“The window just shattered all over the back seat, all over the front seat,” James said.
Glass covered Bambi’s body and got into his eyes, nearly blinding him.
Police say the people in the two cars that approached James are all connected. James says he didn’t know any of them prior to the incident.
The suspect who jumped on the back window was arrested and faces felony vandalism, battery and animal abuse. Police are still working to identify the other two suspects.
“It is all a very dangerous situation that they engaged in,” said Stacie Shih, a San Jose Police Department spokesperson. “Really jeopardized not only the driver, the occupants and the dogs but the people around them.”
She adds that anyone who finds themselves in a potential road rage incident should not engage.
“I think it’s important to always take a step back,” Shih said. “I’m not saying that road rage is justifiable, but you never know where someone is coming from. With that said, everyone is responsible for following the rules of the road.”
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