Stephen Irvin Saunders Porsche driver investment banker sucker punches teen girl in Tampa road rage attack after she accidentally cut him off.
A Porsche-driving investment banker from Florida has been charged with sucker-punching a teenage girl after she ‘accidentally’ cut him off in traffic.
Hillsborough County Police charged 47-year-old Stephen Irvin Saunders, a self-employed’ investment banker, with punching a 16-year-old girl in the jaw at a stoplight after she cut him off during an alleged road rage episode in Tampa, according to an arrest affidavit.
Police said on December 16 Saunders became ‘enraged’ after a 16-year-old girl cut off his Porsche 911 on Florida Avenue North in Tampa at around 10:30 pm and followed her to a nearby intersection, cut her off and confronted her at a red light.
‘While stopped for the red light the suspect exited his vehicle and approached the victim’s vehicle and yelled at her, ‘What the f*** are you doing? You stupid bitch! You cut me off!” court documents said.
Saunders, who according to court documents is 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, then allegedly reached into the girl’s open driver’s side window and punched her in the face with a closed fist, leaving her bruised.
Felony punishable by life
‘The victim suffered redness, soreness and bruising to the left side of her jaw,’ court documents stated. ‘The victim is 16 years of age and has a very youthful appearance.’
Police said the young girl was able to remember Saunders’s vehicle because of it’s distinct design- his white and black convertible Porsche 911 had ‘911’ boldly printed on the driver’s side door, and is visible on his driveway in a photo taken of his home.
Once tracked down, the girl was also able to identify the 47-year-old when presented with a photo pack that included his drivers license image.
‘Based on the investigation the suspect unlawfully entered into the victim’s occupied conveyance and committed a battery upon her,’ court documents said.
Saunders, who was arrested on December 18, was charged with burglary of a conveyance with assault or battery, which the Hillsborough County court system’s website says is a ‘felony punishable by life,’ Business Observer reported.
After pleading not guilty on December 20 to the road rage count he was released from the Hillsborough County jail on $15,000 bond.
Saunders’ attorney Kevin Napper says that more details will be revealed about the incident.
‘We’ll let the court process play out, and there’s more to the story. You can quote me on that,’ he told Business Observer.