Where do we begin with this? Do we start with the claim that the attacker called himself “Jesus”? Or that he allegedly said “this feels good” while getting stabbed by car keys?
A delivery driver in Georgia says she had to defend herself from getting attacked by 54-year-old Rick Painter. She told her story to WSB-TV in a Tuesday report.
Sonya King works for the company DoorDash. As part of her job, she showed up to a home for a delivery in Atlanta, she said. The door was open. She claimed Painter invited her in to leave his food on the counter.
This didn’t ring any alarm bells in her head.
“He seemed normal,” King said. “Anybody would have went in.”
She did her job, left the delivery on the counter, and turned to leave. Painter offered a cash tip. She declined.
Then things got weird.
According to King, Painter was digging through his wallet when he said, “Oh, and by the way, I’m Jesus.” Then he grabbed her by her head scarf, and tried to choke her with it. (King, who is Muslim, wears a niqab.)
She pleaded with him, told him she had kids.
“He thought he was Jesus, but Jesus wouldn’t do that to nobody,” she said. King said she fought back, poking him in the eye, and stabbing him with her car keys. According to her, as this was happening, Painter said, “Aw, this feels good.”
Whether or not it felt good, it was enough to save King. She escaped, and called 911.
“I didn’t want to kill him,” King told the outlet. “I could’ve killed him, but I didn’t because I’m Muslim.”
Medics treated Painter before he was booked into Fulton County Jail. Records obtained by Law&crime show the alleged offense happened Saturday. He was booked the next day for one count of battery, and remains locked up in lieu of $5,000 bond. He could be reached for comment.
[Mugshot via Fulton Count Jail and WSB-TV]