Expand / Collapse search
☰

Daycare owner attacked after asking driver to slow down along Atlanta roadway

By
Published  December 4, 2024 5:11pm EST
SW Atlanta
FOX 5 Atlanta

Daycare owner attacked for asking car to slow down

Daycare owner Vita Zuniga said she was trying to get a couple with a child in the back seat to slow down on Sylvan Road when she was brutally attacked.

The Brief

    • Vita Zuniga, a daycare owner in Southwest Atlanta, was attacked after asking a motorist on Sylvan Road to slow down.
    • Zuniga was struck by a female passenger from the car after the confrontation escalated and the car returned to confront her.
    • The assault occurred in front of a child who was in the backseat of the motorist's vehicle, which greatly disturbed Zuniga.

ATLANTA - A daycare owner says she was attacked after asking a motorist to slow down along Sylvan Road in Southwest Atlanta.

Vita Zuniga said she never imagined when she told the car to slow down, that someone inside would jump out and attack her. Atlanta police said they are trying to find the couple in the car.

"I was actually in the middle of the road when I told him to slow down," said daycare owner Vita Zuniga.

Zuniga said she was merely trying to get a couple, with a child in the back seat, to reduce their speed here on Sylvan Road at 7:20 on Monday Morning, but in just seconds she says they whipped the car around. 

"They turned around to confront me. You… you got a problem with me. The whole thing and I was like sir, I asked you to slow down," Zuniga said.

Vita Zuniga says she was sucker punched after asking a driver to slow down.

Vita Zuniga says she was sucker punched after asking a driver to slow down. (FOX 5)

Zuniga turned to head back to her home daycare center, when all of a sudden, she said she was sucker punched. 

"It's the woman in the passenger's seat, jumped out of the car," said Zuniga." She tackled me down. She didn't punch me right away. I just felt like this truck just hit me and I hit the pavement and my knees arms everything and just whaled on me anger just anger."

The 58-year-old said what bothered her the most is that the couple had a school-aged child in the back seat.

"The fact that they did it in front of their child," said Zuniga. "I can't get her face out of my mind, just this like innocent scared look like something is about to happen."

A daycare owner says she was attacked after asking a motorist to slow down along Sylvan Road in Southwest Atlanta.

A daycare owner says she was attacked after asking a motorist to slow down along Sylvan Road in Southwest Atlanta. (FOX 5)

Atlanta police are investigating the assault. The description of the car and the couple is not clear.

"The neighborhood is very diligent. Everyone is checking their ring cameras, the next door," said Zuniga.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Atlanta Police Department.

The Source: FOX 5 Atlanta's Aungelique Proctor spoke with Vita Zuniga and the Atlanta Police Department about the attack.