Alachua Woman Arrested for Aggravated Battery After Road Rage Incident

ALACHUA – A 35-year-old Alachua woman, Alexei Francis Bellow, was arrested on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, following an alleged road rage incident that escalated into aggravated battery. She has been charged with using her car as a deadly weapon to ram another vehicle and driving with a suspended license.

The victim reported the incident to 911 while driving southbound on U.S. Highway 441 in Alachua. According to his statement, Bellow repeatedly swerved into his path and accelerated erratically to match his speed. While on the phone with the 911 operator, the victim followed Bellow as she drove to a Starbucks on Northwest 43^rd Street in Gainesville, where she purchased two drinks. She then proceeded to a residence in the Millhopper Station subdivision.

At the residence, Bellow allegedly confronted the victim while he remained on the phone with police. After the confrontation, she returned to her vehicle and intentionally backed into the victim’s car, which was parked in the road. The victim reported that after hitting his car, Bellow exited her vehicle, walked around the front yard, and then drove away, cutting through neighboring lawns.

The victim followed Bellow’s car to U.S. Highway 441, where a Gainesville Police Department officer stopped her near the Staghorn subdivision.

Post-Miranda, Bellow admitted to swerving at the victim and accelerating but claimed it was due to being a "bad driver." She also said she refrained from calling 911 or seeking shelter at the Starbucks because she was afraid.

The victim, who was driving a Tesla, provided video recordings of the incident to law enforcement, which may serve as critical evidence. The arrest report did not clarify whether Bellow and the victim had any prior relationship.

Bellow’s arrest adds to her existing legal troubles. She was previously arrested in May for allegedly breaking into her ex-boyfriend’s home, causing $4,000 in damage, and stealing items. In that case, she was charged with burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, grand theft, and felony property damage.

Although the State Attorney’s office initially sought to hold her without bail, the motion was withdrawn, and Judge David Kreider set bail at $50,000 with a GPS monitoring requirement. Bellow posted bail and had been compliant with the terms of her pretrial release until this latest arrest.

Bellow now faces charges of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon and knowingly driving with a suspended license. Her license had reportedly been suspended in April. She claimed to have renewed her license in January, but records contradicted her statement.

Given her criminal history and pending felony case, Judge Kristine Van Vorst ordered Bellow held without bail. The State Attorney’s office has filed a motion to hold her in custody until trial, with a hearing pending.

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