A DoorDash delivery driver in Perth, Australia, narrowly escaped serious injury when a rock hurled by teenagers shattered her car's rear window after she attempted to de-escalate a street fight. The incident occurred on August 19 in the suburb of Merriwa.
Dianne Sulman, 61, was parked when she observed a group of teenagers fighting. She tried to intervene, but the youths reportedly turned their attention to her car. One large rock smashed through the rear window, narrowly missing Ms. Sulman.
"I was shocked. I wasn't even aware that it was actually my car windscreen that broke," Ms. Sulman told 7NEWS. "I thought it was something else, like a bad accident. It was that loud. And then when I realised what it was, I just started shaking, crying, realising what had happened."
She expressed her fear, stating, "If that had hit me, it would have killed me."
The Western Australia Police confirmed they are investigating the incident. "About 11.25am, an unknown person allegedly threw a rock at a vehicle on Baltimore Parade, causing the rear windscreen to shatter. No injuries were reported," a police statement read. Authorities reported that a group of juveniles wearing dark-colored hoodies were seen fleeing the scene.
Ms. Sulman voiced her hope that the teenagers involved would learn from their actions.
The damage to her vehicle has rendered it inoperable, preventing Ms. Sulman from working while repairs are made. She also faces a $150 insurance excess payment, which she finds frustrating as the alleged offenders are minors.
Her daughter, Indahly, has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to assist with the car repair costs. She described her mother as a "selfless person" who was trying to promote the "greater good" by intervening in the fight, noting her mother's other community contributions, including running a food pantry.
Western Australia Police are continuing their investigation and have appealed to the public for any information, including CCTV, dashcam, or mobile phone footage, to contact Crime Stoppers.