Moment Mercedes S-Class driver slaps child ‘with autism’ for bending hood ornament on his $146,000 sedan

Footage shows the moment a Mercedes driver punches a child for bending the hood ornament on his car.

The unidentified driver is seen punching the boy seconds after assessing the damage, which is estimated to cost around $500 to repair.

The car itself costs just over $146,000 and was purchased just over a year ago from a dealer in Southern California, a vehicle history report shows.

The filmed attack appears to take place in the same region, as evidenced by the cedars, palm trees and street signs in the background, as well as the perpetrator’s license plate number, which was later provided by the person behind the camera.

The footage shows the boy’s Spanish-speaking mother saying to the driver wearing sunglasses: “Sorry, [my son] is autistic’ – after which he slaps the boy and walks away. At the time of writing, it is still unclear when and where exactly the incident took place.

The unidentified driver is seen punching the boy seconds after assessing the damage, which is estimated to cost around $500 to repair.

“Sorry, he’s autistic,” the woman can be heard saying in the clip, which has not yet been reported by a news outlet. “He has special needs.”

The man is undeterred and walks towards the mother and child. We see how the woman tries to calm the boy down and plead his case at the same time.

Within seconds, the man stands over the two, quickly withdraws his hand and hits the boy in the face with his open palm.

He points his finger at the now frightened young man, before walking away and heading back to his car.

A voice is heard shouting in English, “What the f**k’s wrong with you?” as the man steps back once more to inspect the damage.

He grabs the nearly destroyed ornament and then walks back to the driver’s door of the S-Class, apparently shaking his head in disgust.

“No, stop him!” a woman’s voice calls as he opens the door and prepares to drive away. He appears to reprimand another bystander before sitting down.

The man drives away, but not before the person who registered the collision takes a good look at his license plate.

The filmed attack appeared to take place in Southern California, as evidenced by the cedars, palm trees, and street signs in the background, as well as the perpetrator’s license plate number, which was later shared by the person behind the camera.

The footage shows the boy’s Spanish-speaking mother saying to the driver wearing sunglasses: “Sorry, [my son] is autistic – he has special needs

The man hits the boy and walks away. At the time of writing, it is still unclear when and where exactly the incident took place.

The car itself costs just over $146,000 and was purchased from a Southern California dealership just over a year ago, a vehicle history report shows.

The man drives away, but not before the person who recorded the encounter gets a good look at his license plate. He has not yet been identified

They also shared a photo of the man’s slightly bent Mercedes emblem, which appeared to be the only damage.

At the time of writing, it is still unclear whether a report has been filed with the police, as images of the incident are circulating on social media.

Public records show the car was purchased in Valencia in April 2024, from Mercedes-Benz in Valencia.

The sedan is from 2023 and is built in Germany. The price was $ 146,350.

DailyMail.com has contacted the California Highway Patrol to find out if the license plate is related to any pending criminal cases.

The middle-aged man seen in the footage has yet to be identified. He could be charged with assault on a minor, which could be treated as a misdemeanor or a felony, depending on the level of trauma inflicted.

If found guilty, he could face up to six years in prison.