Framingham

Woman Charged in Framingham Road Rage Attack Accused of Telling Victim to ‘Go Back to Your Country'

Michelle Milburn of Marlboro, Massachusetts, has been charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon in an attack that left Raissa Fernandez injured in Framingham; Fernandez says Milburn used hateful language during the incident

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A woman from Marlboro, Massachusetts, is facing criminal charges for assaulting a woman during a road rage incident. The victim says the incident should be investigated as a hate crime.

Raissa Fernandez told police she was stopped at a red light at an intersection in downtown Framingham when another driver nearly hit her bumper. She said the driver followed her to where she parked her car, got out of her car and began yelling and punching Fernandez in the face.

"She told me, 'Go back to your country, go back to your country. Right here is America,'" said Fernandez who immigrated from Brazil.

She said the woman hit her in the mouth with a set of keys, which knocked out a tooth and caused another one to become loose. Fernandez suffered various bruises and pain all over her body where she was hit repeatedly.

"It's a hate crime, because I don't talk nothing with her. I don't have music in my car, I don't have a flag in my car, I don't have nothing. She just look at my face and think, 'Oh, she's an immigrant,'" Fernandez said. "I'm just waiting now for justice."

Bystanders caught the assault on camera. Police identified the woman as Michelle Milburn from Marlboro. She is charged with assault and battery with a dangerous weapon.

In a statement, the Framingham Police Department said a follow-up investigation is being conducted into whether bias was a motivation during the incident, and additional charges may be warranted pending the outcome of the investigation.

"This unfortunate event is not reflective of those who call Framingham home, as the City of Framingham prides itself on being a welcoming and safe community for all," Mayor Charlie Sisitsky said in a statement.

"We heard stories like that often, in different ways, but when things come out, like a violent act, it's very shocking and frustrating," said Mariana Dutra, lead organizer for the Massachusetts Immigrant and Refugee Advocacy (MIRA) Coalition.

"This affects the whole community. And I think this is our job, this is our mission of MIRA," said Dutra. "We are on the ground since that happened. We are visiting the neighborhood, we're visiting Framingham, we're visiting the organizations that we partner with trying to educate and empower them about a hate crime. Because again, it's a situation like that. In her case, it's not about like her status or where she came from, its because she was different. And this is what we're trying to say to the community is don't be afraid of as a matter of status doesn't matter where you came from. You are part of this place."

Dutra encourages people to report hateful incidents to the local police department and the Massachusetts Attorney General's hotline.

Fernandez said the comments were hurtful because America is her home.

"I love America. I don't have a problem right here. You make your dreams right here, and my dream is to see my daughter and my son have a good life."

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