ROYAL OAK, Mich. (WXYZ) — An 18-year-old is recovering after a violent road rage incident left him with deep cuts to his face and body in Royal Oak.
The attack, which was captured on surveillance video, happened Dec. 1 near the intersection of 13 Mile and Greenfield roads.
Watch Christiana Ford's video report below:
Jalen Brooks, a recent graduate of Birmingham Groves High School, was on his way to the first day of his second job when what started as a traffic incident escalated into violence. Brooks said he got out of his car to try to get insurance information from another driver who had thrown something at his vehicle earlier on the road.
"The only reason I stepped out of the car was I was trying to get his insurance. Because further down the road like before the light, he had thrown something at my car and broke something," Brooks said.
Surveillance video captured the encounter as the other driver walked up to Brooks' car and began yelling. Brooks said the confrontation included racial slurs.
"What you probably couldn't hear from the video is when he was all up in my face. He was saying some slurs in there. You can probably tell what type of slurs, you know, what I mean, skin color," Brooks said.
Watch the surveillance video below. Warning: video may be graphic for some viewers:
He says the verbal confrontation quickly turned physical when the other driver pulled out a knife and began swinging, cutting Brooks near his eye and on multiple parts of his body.
"Honestly, it was like how can I get out of this situation. I didn't realize it was a knife until the last second," Brooks said.
The two got into a scuffle before Brooks tried to get help.
"That's when he hit my finger, flipped my hair back, because the blood was starting to get in my hair," Brooks said.
The attacker fled the scene after the incident. Thanks to a witness who saw the license plate, Pleasant Ridge police were able to track down and arrest 45-year-old Patrick Chisholm that same day.
Chisholm has been charged with assault with intent to do great bodily harm, a 10-year felony. He is being held on a $10,000 bond and is due back in court Friday.
Brooks said the incident serves as a reminder that road rage can have serious consequences.
"You see the videos on Instagram reels of the funny road rage videos, this, that and the other. It's real. You know, what I mean. Something like this is very real," Brooks said.
Despite his injuries, Brooks said he feels fortunate the attack wasn't worse.
"It's a lot but honestly, I'm still happy to be here, happy to still have my eye. I'm blessed and thank the Lord," Brooks said.
He's emotionally still processing the trauma but feels it could have ended much worse.
His message to other drivers is simple: "Stay safe. Don't get out your car."
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