911 Call Exposes Chaotic Car Attack: Woman Bit Passenger and Assaulted Police Officers In What Appeared To Be A Drunken Rampage

By Alric Lindsay

A  woman was fined $2,088.20 and handed down a 12-month probation order after what was illustrated in court as a chaotic street attack that ended in a violent struggle with arresting police officers.

Based on the court listing, Tesfanesh Maryann Haffizullah-Dixon faced several charges, including common assault (against a civilian), property damage, and two counts of assaulting law enforcement stemming from a February 15, 2025 incident.

The court heard that the violent episode began while the defendant was traveling inside a car with a female companion. An argument escalated rapidly as Haffizullah-Dixon  flew into a blind rage, screaming at the victim.  The panic inside the vehicle prompted an emergency call as Haffizullah-Dixon completely lost control, biting the passenger on her arm.

The chaos intensified when Police Constables arrived at the scene. According to Crown Counsel from the Office of the Director of Public Prosecutions, Haffizullah-Dixon turned her aggression onto the emergency responders, becoming “extremely aggressive” as officers moved in to arrest her. Although they successfully placed her in handcuffs, Haffizullah-Dixon continued to struggle and resist, kicking the front of the police service vehicle with her feet and assaulting the officers during the process. Reportedly, she was eventually subdued and placed inside the police vehicle, leaving the responding constables with minor physical injuries and the police cruiser with damage.

During intense sentencing arguments, the prosecution referred to photographic evidence of the civilian victim’s bite injuries and confirmed that the physical property damage to the vehicle totalled an exact sum of $2,088.20. The Crown emphasized that a young child was present at the scene, which was an aggravating factor that lifted the offences beyond a simple financial penalty and entitled the court to uplift the sentence from a fine to a community order.

Defence attorney Katie Williams launched an extensive mitigation bid, counter-arguing that the entire episode was an “abomination resulting from alcohol abuse” rather than a reflection of her client’s true character. Williams noted that Haffizullah-Dixon felt deep personal embarrassment, had candidly stated, “I am not proud of my actions. This is not me,” and viewed the accident as a profound wake-up call. Williams highlighted that to her client’s significant credit, she sought out professional counselling on her own volition and has always taken full responsibility for the variable behavioural matters brought on by her alcohol dependency over the period. Williams implored the bench that a community service order would be entirely appropriate, noting that sending the working mother down the steps of the court house to the cells and ultimately to prison would permanently destroy her domestic stability.

Chief Magistrate Hernandez accepted that Dixon showed authentic remorse, thanking the probation officer and accepting the refined statement categorizations. Refusing to penalize her for a year-long delay in finalizing the plea after papers were served on August 19, 2025, the Chief Magistrate ruled that she would not impose immediate custody due to the real, tangible steps Dixon had taken to rehabilitate herself.

Chief Magistrate Hernandez sentenced Dixon to a community-based service order alongside a mandatory 12-month Probation Order. Under the strict terms of her probation, Haffizullah-Dixon must undergo random drug and alcohol testing, complete specialized intervention courses including an anger management curriculum, and continue active Behavioural Health counselling.

Addressing the financial aftermath, the Chief Magistrate issued a formal Compensation Order of $2,088.20 for the vehicle property damage. Noting that while Haffizullah-Dixon is currently working, she faces tight financial constraints, the court granted her a six-month window to clear the balance, making the full sum due by the end of April 2027. Failure to pay the restitution order will trigger an automatic prison term in default. Standing before the bench, a remorseful Haffizullah-Dixon told the judge, “I promise ma’am, that won’t happen again.”