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In what might be described as one definition of rage in a angry motorist interaction, a young woman has been charged by D.C. Metro police following an eye-popping video of her smashing the windows of a Greyhound bus with shocked passengers inside and then, inexplicably, trying repeatedly, and successfully, to run over the bus driver. Most of the event was captured on a cell-phone video.
Now identified as Mariana Silver, she fled the scene of the road rage incident that left stunned passengers and passers-by, a man in the road struck by her car a number of times, a Greyhound bus with smashed windows and windshield with a cacophony of honking cars stuck behind the wild scene.
Silver is being held without bond and is facing three charges.
Here’s what you need to know:
1. Police Say Silver Sideswiped a Greyhound Bus After Trying to Overtake it on the Roadway
Mariana Silver, 20, has been charged with assault with a dangerous weapon for D.C road rage incident.
According to NBC Washington, the incident began when Silver cut off the bus on a road near the National Arboretum and she and the Greyhound bus “sideswiped each other.”
The incident occurred on Thursday Aug. 30 just after 6 p.m. in the 1800 block of Bladensburg Road NE. Silver, police said, was driving a gold-colored Audi A8 when she overtook the bus and the two vehicles made contact.
We have identified the suspect involved in this incident that occurred in the 1800 block of Bladensburg Road, NE on 8/30.
The incident was captured on a cell phone video and can be seen below. This case remains under investigation. #DCPolice #HereToHelp
Police provided her name and license plate number in a tweet asking for help locating her.
2. Silver & the Bus Driver Had Words. He Called Her a ‘Crazy Driver’ Police Said. Silver Got a Bat From Her Car
Local media said the police report states the bus driver told her she was “…a crazy driver…You need to get off the road.”
It’s reported police said that Silver then pulled a bat out of her trunk and began hitting the bus windshield with it.
Police said Silver was “wanted on several charges for the offenses that occurred.”
3. With the Bat, Silver Smashed the Bus’ Windshield, Reports Said. She Then Armed Herself With a Car Jack & Began Violently Striking the Driver-Side Window, With Horrified Passengers Inside, Video Shows
After the accident, and a verbal exchange between Silver and the driver, and after she’d allegedly smashed the windshield, passenger Juan Blanco began recording and stunned people in the bus can be heard saying she’s committing a crime.
“She’s going to fuc*ing jail. This is a federal crime. Is she fuc*ing kidding me?”
Now horns can be heard honking as Silver comes back to the bus now armed with a car jack and begins to smash the driver side window glass repeatedly.
4. Silver Then Proceeds to Run Over the Bus Driver Three Times Before Fleeing. Police Locate & Arrest Her
“Wow ? I wonder if she realizes what she has done. Does she even care about what she has done?? I will pray for that girl and I hope that whatever she’s going thru can be fixed…. babygirl turn yourself in and get your life in order,” said one commenter on the D.C. metro police tweet as they were looking for Silver.
The video shows Silver get into her car and hit the bus driver. He goes flying and she gets out of the car and attacks him. The passengers scream and leave the bus telling her to stop. She screams he’d damaged her car, gets back behind the wheel and proceeds to hit him again. People are stunned. But the third time he’s struck, he’d hurled himself onto the car and later can be heard saying in the video she was “trying to get away.”
Uploaded to Twitter by Ethan Krane, the thread on his initial tweet reveals many decide that the driver may have decided to take advantage of the fact that he could have a big payday, exemplified, some argued, by his jumping at and on the hood of the car. He said he was trying to stop her from getting away. Passers-by by and passengers noted the entire episode was on video and the car license plate number was already known and that police would find her.
He knew.
Greyhound said the driver completed his run. Apparently he had bumps and bruises but was otherwise unharmed.
5. Silver Appeared in Court Saturday, Was Held on ‘Preventitve Detention’ & a ‘Medical Alert’ is Part of the Record
The suspect wanted on several charges for the offenses that occurred in the 1800 blk of Bladensburg Rd, NE, on Aug 30th, has been identified as 20-year-old Mariana Silver, of NE DC. Her vehicle- Audi A8 with DC Tags FV 9179. Seen her or the vehicle? Call 202-727-9099/text 50411
The court records are thin, but do show that Silver appeared in District of Columbia Superior Court Saturday at around 1 p.m. Court records show Silver was being held in “preventive detention.” The records which were updated Saturday afternoon show a preliminary hearing is set for Sept. 4 at 9 a.m. but also noted a’medic alert’ on the docket sheet.
Silver’s middle name is spelled in court records as Niclole. It may be a misspelling or an uncommon spelling and pronunciation of the name Nicole. Silver was provided with a court-appointed attorney named Jonathan Armstrong. The only charge that appears is assault with a dangerous weapon, her car when she ran down the bus driver, named Tuesday as Wayne Torrence Stitt of North Chesterfield, Virginia, although police said in a tweet Friday that she was wanted on several charges. An arrest affidavit, or probable cause charging documents, were listed in the docket report, but access to the files was not available.
Update: Tuesday Metro Police emailed Heavy with an updated charging document that includes the charge of leaving the scene of a collision with property damage, and destruction of property.
According to court records, Silver appeared before e a judge Tuesday and a requested release was denied, she waived her preliminary hearing and she was ordered back to jail. Her next court date is set for Sept. 18. A conference on the severity of the felony charge will be held before, records show.