By Logan Seacrest
VOICE News July 10, 2008

A young Lincoln woman who was the victim of a road rage attack last April is suing her assailants. (See original article below.)

Attorneys for Heather Nelson filed the lawsuit in Lancaster County District Court at the end of June. Nelson, 24, is a 2002 graduate of Norris High School and a past VOICE News employee.

The four women named in the suit, Patricia Johnson, Jeralyn Whitfield, Christina Campbell and Quanetta Campbell, also face criminal charges.

Around 1 a.m. on April 6, Nelson said she was driving home when she was rear-ended by one car, while another car blocked her in from the front. Nelson said the defendants then got out of their cars and began to threaten her.

She drove to a friend’s house, but was followed by the defendants. Police say that one of the defendants pulled Nelson from her car and slammed her head into the concrete. When Nelson’s friends attempted to intervene, they were threatened with a gun.

Due to the violent nature of the attack, Heather moved and law enforcement is involved in protecting her whereabouts until the criminal proceedings are concluded. "She’s still very afraid," Nelson’s mother said. "But she’s doing alright considering the situation."

Nelson’s purse was also stolen during the attack. Police say that credit cards from the purse were used to buy shoes online which led police to arrest Quanetta Campbell and her niece, Christina Campbell. They both stand accused of first-degree assault, robbery, making terroristic threats and use of a weapon to commit a felony.

The two other suspects, Patricia Johnson and Jeralyn Whitfield, turned themselves in and are accused of misdemeanor charges in aiding and abetting the assault.

In the lawsuit, attorney Daniel Friedman of Friedman Law Offices wrote the defendant’s "conduct was so outrageous in character and so extreme in degree that it went beyond all possible bounds of decency." The lawsuit claims Nelson has endured persistent emotional and physical distress as a result of the attack.

After the attack, Nelson required 20 stitches to reattach her torn lip and underwent extensive dental work to fix eight cracked teeth. Two of Nelson’s teeth were so badly damaged they had to be removed and she is still awaiting implants. So far, the medical costs have exceeded $20,000.

"Heather is going to have lots of bills, and this lawsuit might not be resolved for a long time," Nelson’s mother said. She returned to work several weeks after the attack, but does not have insurance.

To help pay for treatment, a silent auction has been set up in Nelson’s name. Log onto www.voicenewsnebraska.com in the coming weeks to bid on a variety of items donated by the Lincoln Stars, University of Nebraska, Lincoln Saltdogs, Fender Guitar, and CGS Music, as well as businesses, friends and family. The VOICE News is sponsoring the silent auction for its former employee.

A group of eight to ten women allegedly assaulted Heather Nelson, a 2002 graduate of Norris High School and a former VOICE News employee, after a minor fender bender early Sunday, April 6.

Nelson said she was driving home from a friend’s house at about 1 a.m. when a gold Lexus slammed on its brakes in front of her at the intersection of 48th and South. Nelson came to a stop, and a red Chevy Impala lightly rear-ended her car. Three women immediately jumped out of the Impala.

"They were screaming, yelling and cussing at me. I got scared right away," Nelson said.

Nelson began to dial 911, but was interrupted when one of the assailants reached through the window of Nelson’s black Chevy Cavalier. Another agitated woman attempted to open the car door. Frightened, Nelson put her foot on the gas and sped away.

Both the red Impala and gold Lexus immediately began following Nelson north. At 48th and O, Nelson stopped at a red light. Her pursuers jumped out of the cars and approached Nelson’s vehicle again. At this point, Nelson ran the red light and called her friend.

"The plan was to go back to my friend’s house and call the police," Nelson said. "But before we could get inside, two carloads full of angry girls had us surrounded."

When she reached her friend’s house on the 300 block of South 45th Street, one of the assailants grabbed Nelson and slammed her head into the concrete. The entire group of women then began to punch and kick Nelson while she was on the ground. When Nelson’s friends attempted to intervene, they were threatened with a chrome handgun.

At the sound of some distant sirens, the assailants grabbed Nelson’s purse out of the front seat of her car, and fled. After the incident, Nelson and her friends called 911 and were taken to the hospital for treatment. Nelson’s lip was almost completely severed in the attack and two teeth were knocked out. She suffered lacerations and severe bruising on her face and body.

Three days later, on Wednesday, April 10, police arrested Christina Marie Campbell, of Lincoln. Police said that within an hour of the attack, she used Nelson’s credit card to buy shoes online. Campbell had them shipped to her home address, where police found items from Nelson’s purse in the trash.

One of Nelson’s friends had memorized the license plate of the red Impala involved. The car’s owner Quanetta Campbell, 29, of Lincoln, was arrested on Thursday, April 11. Both suspects are charged on suspicion of first-degree assault, robbery, terroristic threats and use of a firearm to commit a felony.

Lincoln Police Officer Katie Flood said despite speculation to the contrary, there is no indication yet as to whether the attack was premeditated. "The randomness of this crime certainly caught our attention," she said. "It’s rare that a group of people would react this violently, seemingly unprovoked."

Medical expenses stemming from the attack are sure to be costly, and a special Heather Nelson Victim Fund has been set up at all local Union Banks. JoAnn Mauer, of Lincoln, set up the fund. Mauer works with Nelson’s mother. "Heather was truly a victim in this situation. I know how something like this can financially devastate a person. Insurance doesn’t always pay it all," she said.