Food delivery driver allegedly attacked by off-duty DoD police officer in road rage incident

FOX 5 EXCLUSIVE - A man has been arrested and faces charges for allegedly assaulting a food delivery driver in a road rage incident in Fairfax County. 

The confrontation was caught on camera.

Medhi Driouche, 21, is currently in the hospital. His family says he had a medical emergency. 

He is still shaken up after the suspect strangled him near a Wendy’s in Springfield on Monday night.

Driouche was working for a food delivery service while on summer break from college and stopped to pick up an order at Wendy’s. He says the suspect, 41-year-old David Ortiz, confronted him, flashed a badge, and claimed to be an off-duty officer.

FOX 5 has confirmed that Ortiz is employed at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall as a Department of Defense police officer, but was not acting in a professional capacity at the time. 

An exclusive video obtained by FOX 5 shows what happened next.

"Sir, please get away from me. You’re not on duty right now, sir. If the officer pulled me over, that's fine. But you’re not an officer. I did not do anything to you … Get away from my car," Driouche can be heard saying.

Moments later, the video appears to show Ortiz continuing the confrontation.

"Don’t touch me. Hey, don’t touch me! You almost killed my son, you [expletive] moron. You almost killed my [expletive] son. Chill out. Get off me, chill out, get off me," Driouche says in the video.

Driouche says Ortiz put him in a chokehold, strangling him, and eventually released him. 

Police investigated, and issued an arrest warrant, and Ortiz turned himself in Wednesday evening.

"I’m just glad that I got justice and that they arrested him and that he’s not going to be out there to attack someone else," Driouche told FOX 5. "Honestly, this has just affected me terribly because for someone to display a badge like that, and then attack me, I always pictured a badge as someone who has authority and would help you. Someone who displays a badge, I expect them to help you."

Driouche added that he had no idea why he was attacked. He said Ortiz told him he was driving recklessly, but he didn't remember anything that could have provoked him.

David Ortiz is facing charges, including simple assault and strangulation. He is in jail without bond. Detectives say he is not a Fairfax County police officer.

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Editor's Note: This story has been updated to reflect the fact that Ortiz is employed at Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall as a Department of Defense police officer.  He was not on duty at the time.