“I had multiple skull fractures and brain bleeds,” Christen Phillips said, describing the injuries she is now trying to survive.
Phillips, a mother of three, remains hospitalized with a severe brain injury after deputies say she was brutally attacked while delivering food for DoorDash. Authorities said a man struck her with a baseball bat during the delivery.
The suspect, 44-year-old Stanley Shockley, has since been taken into custody and is being held behind bars.
According to the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office, the assault unfolded in broad daylight after the suspect allegedly followed Phillips, then beat her with a bat when she got out of her vehicle to drop off an order.
The incident began on Aug. 1 in Jacksonville, North Carolina. Phillips was stopped at an intersection, waiting for the driver ahead of her to move forward.
Deputies said Shockley was driving the vehicle in front of her when Phillips honked her horn to signal that he should pull ahead.
What started as a brief honk quickly escalated into a terrifying encounter, investigators said.
“The vehicle moved out of her way and began following her,” the sheriff’s office said.
Phillips arrived at her delivery drop-off point, carried out the order, and tried to walk back to her car when Shockley allegedly jumped out, attacked her with the bat, then ran off.
“He came around to my door with a small wooden bat or baton and beat me in the head and face with it,” Phillips said in a post to social media.
“I don’t remember it at all. I woke up an unverified amount of time later,” she said.
She was able to drive herself to a nearby hospital after the attack.
“I had multiple skull fractures and brain bleeds and blood and cerebral fluid draining from my left ear for hours. My cheek bone on my left side is also fractured,” she said.
The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office confirmed Shockley was arrested on Monday in connection to the incident.
He is charged with assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, inflicting serious injury, records say.
Sheriff Chris Thomas said in a statement:
“We understand the public does not see what goes into every investigation and a case like this can make citizens uneasy. We appreciate the number of tips and leads the public provided us.
“Our detectives follow every lead, carefully work through the evidence, and continue to pursue answers even when the investigation presents challenges. Their hard work ultimately led them to identify a suspect and make an arrest.”
In a statement sent to Fox News Digital a spokesperson for DoorDash said, “What this Dasher went through is horrific, and we’re relieved she’s safe and on the road to recovery. We’re grateful to law enforcement for making an arrest and will continue to assist their investigation in any way we can.”