A truck driver chased another over-the-road trucker for five miles in Lebanon County before stopping in front of her truck and beating her with a bat, possibly cracking her skull, according to police.
Reginald A. Warner, 47, of Humble, Texas, was charged with aggravated assault, a first-degree felony, and other offenses in connection with the 9:30 p.m. Monday attack on Interstate 78 in Bethel Township.
The 55-year-old victim from San Antonio, Texas, told police that Warner pulled in front of her truck while going westbound and then abruptly stopped, forcing her to halt behind him in the left lane of the highway.
An affidavit of probable cause filed against Warner presented the following account:
He approached her driver’s window and accused her of striking his truck, which she denied. He asked her to roll her window down halfway, which she did. Warner then mounted the cab step and hit her repeatedly in the face through the open window. He lowered her window the rest of the way while still hitting her.
She claimed she tried to defend herself by grabbing a wooden tire bat, which truck drivers frequently use to check tire pressure. She hit Warner in the arms and face to get him away from her, she claimed. But Warner seized the bat from her and smacked her in the head six to seven times, according to authorities.
During the thrashing, her foot came off the brake pedal, forcing her truck to drift forward and collide with the back of Warner’s trailer.
She called 911, and when state police arrived, they saw her covered in blood. Warner was still around. He informed police that he trailed her for five miles before stopping in front of her to stop her on the highway. According to the affidavit, his story matched the victim’s, and he also admitted to taking her truck keys.
Officers overheard Warner saying she ordered him to go twice, but he still confronted her.
When emergency responders came, they suspected she had a cracked skull. They utilized skin glue to repair the laceration over her right eye. The cuts behind her skull required nine stitches to heal.
Warner remained in Lebanon County jail Thursday, unable to post the $100,000 bail.
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