Viral Albuquerque road rage: Woman swings bat at pickup, driver crashes into her SUV

A woman got out of a red SUV and swung a baseball bat into a white pickup truck at an intersection in northeast Albuquerque, N.M. Seconds later the truck followed her SUV into the intersection and crashed into it.

The clip had more than 27 million views on TikTok by Aug. 20, The Nerd Stash reported. It happened near Wyoming Boulevard and Constitution Avenue NE, according to KOB 4 and the Albuquerque Journal, not in Orange County. Juice Unlocked shared it Aug. 24, 2026, as partner content with The Injury Firm.

What police say happened

Police identified the woman as Jenipher Lewis, 31, of Albuquerque, the Journal reported. Her two children, ages 4 and 8, were in the SUV. Lewis told police the kids were not hurt.

In the criminal complaint, Lewis said she was taking her children to school when the truck pulled out in front of her and made her swerve. She said she pulled alongside to yell at the driver, the man laughed and asked what she was going to do about it, and she grabbed the bat to protect herself and her kids, though she knew it was not the right thing to do.

After she drove off, the truck crashed into her vehicle and shattered its back window, the Journal reported. "The white truck pushed the Nissan into northbound lanes of Wyoming," police spokesperson Gilbert Gallegos said. Both vehicles then left the scene.

Charges for both drivers

Lewis was arrested Aug. 20 and charged in Metropolitan Court with child abuse, driving with a suspended license and reckless driving.

The truck driver was later identified as Robert Hagen, 68. He told police the woman braked and that he rammed her SUV to push her out of the traffic lanes. A police complaint says the video shows him accelerating toward her and only briefly braking after the impact, and that his actions were likely intentional, the Journal reported. Hagen's attorney, Jason Bowles, said police had told them Hagen was a victim and would not be charged.

Road rage in Albuquerque

Albuquerque police had received at least 35 road rage reports that year, KOB 4 reported. Four ended in a death: three involved a gun and one a knife.

Frank Hinojosa, who works at a nearby Circle K, told KOB, "Albuquerque has gotten bad on this," and urged drivers to stay calm and stay in their cars. The Injury Firm's post gave similar advice: stay inside your vehicle, avoid engaging, call 911 and document the incident from a safe place. The firm said people hurt by an aggressive driver may be able to seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages and other damages, and noted its post is general information, not legal advice.

Update

A grand jury indicted Lewis on Sept. 3 on charges of child abuse, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, reckless driving and driving with a suspended license, and a judge ordered her held until trial, the Albuquerque Journal reported Oct. 29. A warrant for Hagen was issued Oct. 19 on charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, criminal damage to property and leaving the scene of an accident. Both are presumed innocent unless proven guilty.