It’s the holidays.
Despite healthy doses of cheer, some shoppers this season are feeling the stress.
Alpharetta police say a recent parking lot dispute between the driver of a Mercedes and the driver of a Chevrolet Camaro escalated into road rage, a 100 mph chase and a single-vehicle crash.
Kayla Mathis was in her Mercedes outside Dillard’s at North Point Mall, where she works, when a Camaro driven by Jade Pearson got in her way.
A police report obtained Monday states Mathis used an obscene gesture toward Pearson and swore at him after he threw something at her. The expletives enraged Pearson, who threatened to kill Mathis.
Mathis climbed back into her Mercedes and sped off, with Pearson not far behind.
Witness Michael Pond told police he saw the Camaro and Mercedes speeding down North Point Parkway, where he was trying to turn right out of Toys “R” Us. Pond told Channel 2 Action News if he would have pulled out to make his turn he would have been killed.
His wife and kids were in the car with him.
“(Pond) estimated their speed at easily 100 mph and he specifically told me that he was not exaggerating,” the officer wrote in the report.
Mathis cut in front of Pearson, lost control of her car and crashed into a median on Mansell Road, Pond told police.
Four more witnesses provided similar statements to police during the investigation at the nearby BP gas station.
Alpharetta police spokesman George Gordon told Channel 2 the cars were a danger to the public.
Either “could have T-boned somebody in the intersection and we would have had fatalities,” Gordon said.
Mathis and Pearson were both arrested and charged with aggressive driving. Mathis was also charged with failure to maintain lane. Pearson had additional charges of window tint violation, expired tag and improper tire tread.
They were both taken to the Alpharetta jail and released with a date to appear in court.
