Man Attacked By Stranger Brandishing Knife In 'Random Encounter': Police

SAN MATEO, CA — A stranger pepper-sprayed and threatened to stab a man in an attack that San Mateo police are characterizing as a “random encounter” with “no apparent reason,” according to authorities.

Police were called around 4 p.m. Thursday to the 100 block of South Ellsworth Avenue, where the victim told them he had been sitting in his vehicle when a Tesla pulled up next to him and its driver, later identified as 34-year-old Alexander Williams of San Jose, made “shooting” gestures, authorities said.

Williams then parked in front of the victim’s vehicle and walked toward it while brandishing a folding knife and threatening to stab the victim, according to police, who said Williams kicked the vehicle, causing about $2,000 in damage, and pepper sprayed the victim through an open window.

The victim recorded part of the incident on his cellphone, and a witness photographed Williams and provided police with the license plate for the Tesla, a rental car set to be returned the next day, authorities said. Williams did not return the Tesla as scheduled, but the car was detected around midnight Sunday by license plate readers in San Mateo, and police conducted a traffic stop, with Williams yielding in San Bruno, according to authorities.

Williams had two bottles of pepper spray and a folding knife, and was arrested, booked into San Mateo County jail, and charged with battery, brandishing, criminal threats and vandalism, police said.