TAMPA, Fla. — A Tampa man has been charged with punching a teenage girl in the face after she cut him off in traffic.
Court records released Tuesday say 47-year-old Stephen Irvin Saunders was charged with felony burglary of conveyance with assault or battery for reaching in the 16-year-old girl’s car and punching her in the jaw during the road rage incident last week.
Police say Saunders followed the girl to a stoplight after she cut him off, The Associated Press reports. He then reportedly got out of his car, yelled curses at her and then hit her in the face while she was sitting inside her car, an arrest warrant explains.
Authorities and the girl was able to easily identify Saunders after the incident because of his distinct car, a black and white Porsche 911 convertible with “911” boldly printed on the driver’s side door.
He has pleaded not guilty and was released on a $15,000 bond. His lawyer didn't immediately return a voicemail.
10 Tampa Bay's Courtney Holland contributed to this report.