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Gang attacks car with stones on Marginal Highway, in São Paulo.

SporTV reporter's car damaged by obstacles placed on the roads by criminals.

Journalist Joana de Assis, 29, a reporter for SporTV, escaped being robbed early this morning by criminals from the gang that has been attacking drivers on the Marginal Pinheiros highway, in the Jaguaré region, west of the capital, after her vehicle ran over stones left on the roadway and stopped due to damage to the tires.

Joana was returning home in a Toyota Corolla along the Marginal Pinheiros towards Castello Branco when, in the same area, the front right tire of the vehicle was damaged by one of the stones thrown by the criminals. With difficulty, the victim still managed to drive the car for another 500 meters, until she reached the access to the Cebolão overpass, which connects the Marginal Pinheiros to the Castello Branco Highway.

Joana was only spared from being robbed seconds after stopping her vehicle because a patrol car from the Traffic Engineering Company (CET) was passing by. The CET officer waited for a tow truck from the victim's insurance company to arrive. The tow truck driver told the reporter that he frequently assists drivers attacked in that area of ​​the Marginal Pinheiros highway.

The reporter, who declined to file a police report, was returning home after covering the match between Corinthians and Internacional, valid for the Brazilian Championship, at Pacaembu Stadium.