Geneva fender bender leads to public fight, squashed purse: police

GENEVA – A minor traffic crash in downtown Geneva last month escalated into a violent fist fight when the person who allegedly caused the accident began recording the other motorist on her cell phone before throwing that woman’s purse into traffic where it was run over and smashed, police said.

Olivia N. Carroll, 26, of the 1300 block of Woodlake Drive, Carol Stream, was charged with two counts of felony aggravated battery in a public way following the incident late last month in the 400 block of West State Street, according to Geneva police and court records. Carroll also was charged with two counts of misdemeanor battery, criminal trespass to vehicle and leaving the scene of an accident involving damage to an attended vehicle, court records show.

Police were called at noon on Sept. 25 to West State Street where the alleged victim had a verbal argument with Carroll about the traffic crash, the report stated.

The other motorist got out of her car and asked Carroll to move her car so she could inspect the damage, a request which Carroll refused, the report stated.

Carroll began video recording the other driver on her cell phone within two feet of the other motorist’s face, prompting her to swat Carroll’s phone out of her face, the report stated.

“Carroll then punched (the victim) in the left side of her face at least two times,” the report stated. “(The victim) ran out of the street while screaming that she had been ‘hit’ by Carroll.”

The victim then “saw Carroll unlawfully enter the driver’s side door of her vehicle and grab (her) purse … (and) saw Carroll throw her purse into the street, which then got run over by a passing motor vehicle,” the report stated.

When the victim confronted Carroll about throwing her purse into the street, “Carroll then punched (the victim) two more times on the right side of her face,” the report stated.

Carroll then entered her BMW and pulled into westbound traffic, striking the victim’s vehicle as she left the scene, the report stated.

Two witnesses gave accounts of the incident and Carroll’s license plate to police, the report stated.

While leaving the scene, Carroll’s vehicle allegedly sideswiped another vehicle, a black 2000 Mazda Miata, on the passenger’s side, Cmdr. Brian Madzia stated in an email.

By 2:30 p.m., Carol Stream police provided Geneva police with Carroll’s phone number and an officer spoke to her, the report stated.

Carroll admitted to being involved in a hit-and-run without giving necessary information, and that she had a verbal argument with the other driver, the report stated.

“Carroll claimed she was the victim of a battery, not the offender in the physical altercation with (the other driver),” the report stated. “Carroll claimed that (the other driver) hit her in the face when (she) slapped her cellular telephone.”

A Carol Stream officer was on-scene with Carroll at the time, who told the Geneva officer that Carroll called police and told them, “I (expletive) up. You gotta take me to jail. I was involved in a hit and run in Geneva,” the report stated.

Four Carol Stream officers remained with Carroll while the Geneva officer drove over to interview her, the report stated.

When the Geneva officer told Carroll of the witness accounts of her being the aggressor and battering the other driver with more than one punch, she denied it, the report stated.

Carroll also denied trespassing into the other vehicle, the report stated.

“Carroll admitted she ‘messed up’ with the hit and run traffic crash, which is why she called the Carol Stream Police Department,” the report stated. “Carroll advised me that she was ready to go to jail.”

Carroll was released on her personal recognizance and ordered to have no contact with the victim, court records show.

A plea setting is scheduled for Nov. 3.

Carroll declined comment in a text message and said, “Stop harassing me please.”