A bystander blocked traffic and followed the victims after a collision near Interstate 5 allegedly escalated into violence.
CARLSBAD, Calif. — A witness helped two injured people leave a violent confrontation after a Sunday evening crash near an Interstate 5 off-ramp in Carlsbad, where authorities say a man was stabbed and a woman was struck.
The incident began shortly after 7 p.m. on the freeway off-ramp to Tamarack Avenue. The California Highway Patrol said a black Chevrolet Silverado driven by 49-year-old Orlando Query Chavez was involved in a crash with a white Chevrolet Silverado carrying a 23-year-old woman and a 27-year-old man.
Witness Isaac Mandlawi said he was waiting at a red light when he saw the confrontation unfold. He told NBC 7 that the male passenger and Chavez were involved in a physical encounter before Chavez allegedly struck the woman and stabbed the passenger.
Video described by the television station appeared to show Chavez hitting the woman. Witness accounts also indicated that he moved toward the passenger side of the white truck before the stabbing. Authorities have not released their own detailed account of what happened immediately before the alleged attacks.
Mandlawi said he moved his vehicle in front of the white Silverado to stop traffic and give its occupants a path away from the scene. He then followed the truck as the woman drove the injured passenger from the off-ramp.
The white Silverado stopped about three blocks away near Tamarack Avenue and Hibiscus Circle. Paramedics treated the passenger there before he and the driver were taken to a hospital. Photographs from the area showed emergency personnel assisting the injured man, according to NBC 7.
Mandlawi said he stayed near the pair during the immediate aftermath and later remained in contact with them. He said both were treated and released from the hospital. Officials have not independently released their conditions or identified them.
CHP officers found Chavez about an hour after the confrontation and arrested him. He was booked into the Vista Detention Facility on allegations including attempted murder and battery, according to reports citing jail records.
The arrest marks the first reported legal step in the case. The allegations have not been proven, and available reports did not identify an attorney for Chavez or provide information about a court appearance.
Investigators have not said what caused the roadside encounter to escalate. The CHP continues to seek information and video from anyone who witnessed the collision or the confrontation that followed.
Author note: Last updated Aug. 5, 2026.