A dramatic road-rage incident in California culminated in the arrest of a woman, Tiffany Bagby, 41, on Thursday. The confrontation, which had initially been caught on camera, involved an altercation with an Army veteran and ended with a high-speed police chase. Authorities reported that after a four-mile pursuit, they discovered a large concealed knife in Bagby’s vehicle.
The Vallejo Police Department confirmed Bagby’s arrest, stating she faces multiple felony charges and is currently held at the Solano County Jail. The charges are linked to an incident on May 11, when Army veteran Joe Vallely was reportedly attacked while driving a company bucket truck in Vallejo’s waterfront area.
The altercation began as Vallely was driving south on Wilson Avenue near Hichborn Street. Police reports indicate that a woman in a red Nissan Altima started making obscene gestures at Vallely and then dangerously maneuvered in front of his vehicle, blocking his path.
Vallely explained that he had been driving cautiously due to newly installed traffic-calming speed tables on the road, which naturally slowed down vehicles. “There’s speed bumps on the road, so you have to drive slow anyway,” Vallely shared with KTVU, reflecting on the events that led to the unexpected confrontation.
Vallely previously said he had been driving cautiously because the road contains newly installed traffic-calming “speed tables” that force vehicles to slow down.
“There’s speed bumps on the road, so you have to drive slow anyway,” Vallely previously told KTVU.
According to police, Vallely feared for his safety and believed the suspect could have been armed because another vehicle was boxed in behind him, preventing him from escaping. He began recording the confrontation on his phone.
Officers said the video showed Bagby exiting her vehicle holding what appeared to be a canister of pepper spray before approaching Vallely’s driver-side window.
“You scared? You should be scared, bitch,” the woman allegedly said moments before spraying him directly in the face.
Police said the attack temporarily blinded Vallely, who drove away seeking safety and attempted to flush out his eyes at a nearby business before later receiving medical treatment.
Authorities identified Bagby as the suspect and attempted to contact her at her residence in the days following the incident, but police said she refused to cooperate.
The case escalated Thursday when officers spotted Bagby driving near Mini and Stanford Drives and attempted a traffic stop.
According to police, Bagby initially refused commands to exit her vehicle before suddenly speeding away, triggering a high-speed pursuit that stretched roughly four miles through Vallejo streets.
The chase ended in the 100 block of Hilborn Avenue, where officers said Bagby again resisted commands to leave the car before she was ultimately taken into custody.
During the arrest, police discovered a “large concealed knife” wedged between the driver’s seat and center console, authorities said.
Investigators also said Bagby later admitted to pepper-spraying Vallely during the original confrontation.
She now faces several felony charges, including felony evasion, felony battery and false imprisonment. Bail was reportedly set at $57,000.
Bagby also posted her own version of events online after the confrontation, claiming she sprayed Vallely to stop him from antagonizing her. Police, however, said video evidence supported Vallely’s account of the incident.
Vallely, a father of two who has said he suffers from PTSD related to his military service, previously said the attack left him rattled.
Despite the confrontation, Vallely said he tried not to escalate the encounter and instead focused on escaping safely after being sprayed.
