Police said the suspect jumped onto a van’s hood after a horn honk near The Mall at Millenia.
ORLANDO, Fla. — An Orlando woman is accused of attacking two drivers at a busy intersection and later biting a police officer during her arrest, authorities said. She was released from jail on a $20,000 bond as investigators continued reviewing the incident.
Police say the violence began after a driver honked near the intersection of Conroy Road and Millenia Boulevard, a heavily traveled area by major shopping and business entrances. The alleged attacks involved a pregnant woman with a baby in her vehicle and an older bystander who tried to help, officers said. The suspect faces multiple felony charges and a battery charge involving an older adult.
Investigators said the confrontation started when a 35-year-old pregnant woman was driving a van with her baby in the back seat and turned from Conroy Road onto Millenia Boulevard. Police said the driver honked her horn as traffic moved through the intersection, and the suspect, identified by officers as Mandolyn Shafferbrockwell, began yelling at her. Shafferbrockwell then climbed onto the front of the van, jumped on the hood and opened the driver’s door, police said. Officers said she struck the woman in the face and chest before the victim could get away.
The disturbance drew attention from drivers who were stopped nearby, some of whom later described the area as a daily bottleneck where short lights and heavy traffic can leave people frustrated. “That’s insane and people are so discourteous to each other driving,” driver Michael Rogers said in an interview. Another driver, Anthony Gammage, said the intersection can be “very congested” and “a nightmare at times” as cars try to leave clusters of businesses and merge into fast-moving traffic. Police have not said whether either vehicle was damaged.
A second victim, a 68-year-old woman who police described as a good Samaritan, told reporters she approached the van after seeing the pregnant driver being attacked. She said other drivers stayed in their vehicles while she walked over to help. Police said the suspect punched the older woman during the chaos. The bystander said another stranger then helped move her and the pregnant woman to safety, away from the suspect and traffic. Authorities have not released the names of the two victims, and police said they were still working to reach the pregnant woman for comment.
Officers said Shafferbrockwell resisted as police tried to detain her, and an officer was bitten as he attempted to place handcuffs on her. Police did not release the officer’s name or describe the severity of the bite, but the allegation led to an aggravated battery charge involving a law enforcement officer. In Florida, that charge can carry steep penalties if prosecutors prove the officer was performing official duties and the suspect knowingly caused injury during the encounter.
Jail records and police statements show Shafferbrockwell was booked and later released after posting bond set at $20,000. She is charged with battery on a person 65 years of age or older, aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, burglary with assault or battery, and resisting an officer with violence, police said. Investigators have not said whether surveillance video from nearby businesses captured the incident, or whether any witnesses recorded cellphone video, though the area is lined with stores and parking lots.
Drivers interviewed near the intersection described a scene that can change quickly when traffic stacks up and tempers flare. Gammage said the safest move is to contact law enforcement rather than step in. “First thing, call the police,” he said. Rogers said the area’s layout and heavy flow can leave drivers boxed in, making it hard to pull away if someone approaches a vehicle. Police have not released a timeline for the suspect’s next court appearance, and it was not immediately clear whether she has an attorney who could speak on her behalf.
As of Friday, Shafferbrockwell remained out on bond while the case moved through the court system and investigators awaited responses from victims and witnesses. The next key milestone is her first scheduled court hearing, which authorities typically set soon after release in felony cases.
Author note: Last updated Feb. 27, 2026.